Semper Amare

I found myself rekindling the art of lip-reading to bridge the gaps where my hearing faltered amidst daily discourse. During rigorous combat arms training, an instructor marveled as my hearing protection slipped away, yet I continued to discern sounds, guided instead by this newly honed skill of interpreting silent words. This adaptation seemed a natural evolution, particularly as I pondered my own place on the spectrum of human neurodiversity, a possibility tacitly acknowledged by my medical overseers. Encouraged to seek a second opinion to secure rightful benefits for the afflictions wrought by near-death ordeals, I grappled with the weight of resilience and the quiet exhaustion of facing death repeatedly—matters I had not meant to share so openly, yet feel compelled to unveil for those who hold me dear. A message from Page, speaking of wishes upon falling stars, entwined with my own search for lost connections, hinted at a shared journey of discovery. Conversations with others revealed the complexity of communication—messages sent to cherished souls carrying layered meaning, yet often met with silence or termination, underscoring the fragile dance between expression and understanding. Among these encounters, friendships born in trials, whispers of betrayal, and the stark realities of cyber assaults linger, testaments to the tangled web of trust and vulnerability in an age ruled by unseen forces. Through all this, my mind oscillates between the tangible and the ethereal, steadfast in the pursuit of purpose amid chaos.