Read Embers of Belonging: Love, Power, and the Fight to save all of us :: Introduction

Imagine waking up to find your room turned upside down – clothes scattered across the floor, papers blown about by an open window, yesterday's half-eaten sandwich growing fuzzy with mold. That's our world. The sun rises, sets, rises again. Leaves turn gold, fall, grow back green. People are born, live, die. It's been this way since the first humans looked up at the stars. You can't stop this turning wheel. Good days feel warm and bright, but what about the storms?

People say nothing lasts. Those words feel both scary and comforting, like a blanket that's too heavy. You don't really understand until you lose something dear – then those simple words cut deep. We waste sunny days thinking they'll never end. We suffer through dark nights believing morning will never come. Then suddenly, on some ordinary Tuesday, your whole life changes. Joy and pain are like two sides of a coin that keeps flipping through your life. The hurt teaches you to treasure the sweet moments. Without winter, would spring feel as beautiful? This is why all things must end.

So maybe the real question isn't "How can I stay happy forever?" but "How do I weather the storms when they come?" I can see the worry in your eyes.

But must you always suffer after tasting something good? Who knows? The wise ones from long ago said peace comes from balance. Yet life rarely moves in straight lines, and you share this world with others.

And not to mention, our world has five different realms, each with its own creatures. Do you think you can find balance all alone? It would be too impossible, wouldn't it?

But since the beginning, the living things survive best together. Remember?

Perhaps what we should ask is: "How will we support each other to help keep the balance while we're here?"