Of bugs, shells, and shape-shifting

Hi you,

Thank you for being here. This is my very first letter through pausesandpieces, and I couldn’t be happier that it’s reaching you.

So here’s something that’s been sitting with me lately...

I had this dream one morning.
There was a bug. A strange one - shapeshifting, unfamiliar.
I was scared. I remember asking Ro to snap it to death, just because I didn’t understand it.

But even after waking up, I knew it wasn’t really gone.
It was still alive - alive in its uniqueness, in how it stayed with me, in the way I remembered it.

And then a few hours later, I stumbled upon this tiny video about hermit crabs - how they spend their lives finding new shells to live in. They have to keep changing homes because they keep growing.

Isn’t that something?
To know that your current shell isn’t the forever one.
That you're allowed to outgrow it.
That it's okay to go looking again.

Maybe life is just like that.
You’re not meant to stay stuck in one way of being.
You're allowed to shift shapes. Try something new.
Even if it scares someone else, or even yourself.

It doesn't have to be forever.
It doesn't have to be always.
You can change. And find your next shell.
Or the one after that.
Or maybe even come back to the one that once gave you comfort.

If only we took the time to observe ourselves and document our lives: our dreams, fears, changes, and daily wonders... I’m sure it would be nothing less than a Marvel movie.
A quiet one. A slow one. But still, a kind of wonder.

So here’s your gentle nudge for today:
Don’t be afraid to come out of your shell.

I’m cheering you on. ✨

This can only be a dream... me, sitting in peace, and in one piece, with all the bugs around.
Because in real life? I’m absolutely terrified of them. :p

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What did this letter bring up for you? A memory? A moment? A thought?
I’d love to hear from you. :)

Thank you for pausing with me. See you in the next piece.
M.