In the darkness of a dream,

In a crowd of strangers,

Two doors emerged.

What I know is this:

Not all is as it seems.

There is a larger story unfolding.

What is in one is in the whole.

To heal the collective, we must heal ourselves.

Faith is not certainty but trust.

Hope is a force more powerful than fear.

And Love defies all things.

The future is yet unwritten.

And yes, tomorrow remains uncertain.

But may we find the courage

To stand in the wake of the rising tide

With the blind audacity of hope.

So, here’s to the explorers,

To those who bravely departed,

With their spirit as my guide,

I sail into the uncharted.

It was the most beautiful feeling—

Wrapped in your arms.

You were warm and steady and safe.

And I felt a peace—one I’ve never known.

You and I, in the mess, all alone.

Together we came from near and far,

Just as we were—as we are.

There was no judgment, there was no bar;

Releasing the grip of all our scars,

We danced in the glow of the fire and stars.

The path to renaissance is through the requiem,

The death of self, of us versus them.

And in the dying,

As the seasons proclaim,

So we rise,

The flame rekindled beneath new skies.

We all get a number. You can’t trade it. When your number is called, your time is up. Humberto, I miss you. So much. Thank you for allowing me to be beside you, for taking care of me both in your living and your dying. I can’t wait to see you again.

With the light that you carry, you must walk into the darkness,

For you play a part in making the world whole,

Seek out the sun for its rays will heal all hearts,

You must go find La Puerta del Sol.

In the Desert of Deconstruction, many trials await you there,

Be steady, be true and you’ll overcome,

And though this journey is yours, you are not alone,

Verily, all is one in the kingdom to come.

Questions open doors of infinite possibility,

Gateways to realms where the world can be redeemed.

It’s in these dominions where hope takes root,

Where healing can blossom and Love reigns supreme.

And the wisdom of prophets is available to all,

If in their presence, we can sit in silence,

And listen to the narratives they have to tell,

For it is in their stories we shall find their guidance.

To be in the present, fully here in the now,

To be immersed in nature, wild and free,

To leave yesterday behind, setting tomorrow aside,

That is what it means to live, put simply, to be.

And with time, the clouds parted, the sun started to rise,

A mere glimmer of light, so soft on his eyes.

Alone in the ruins, he surveilled all around him,

Nothing left, it was time, to step out on a limb.

He paused for a moment before he took that last step,

Childhood dreams he remembered, he smiled, and then he leapt.

Yes, we were incredibly different. Yet as volunteers, we became united in our actions as one collective family. There were many moments of levity and laughter and moments of sincere depth. Spending a week with these people, I came to see how we are all more alike than we are different. We all had an inner light: the Christ within.

And so Eden was restored to the time before the fall,

When two souls found each other,

And love was all they could recall.

Each moment and each circumstance,

Plays a part in this cyclical life dance,

Lessons learned, we discover our gifts to give,

Let us love abundantly in all the ways we live.

We all have our own stories, true,

No way but forward, working through.

But we needn’t brave the world alone,

You are seen, you are known.

Collectively may we breathe and share,

United, undivided, together we bare,

From the stars and moon to the radiant sun,

Love conquers all, yes, let it be done.

There she was, powerful beyond measure, empowering others. Truly, life is a journey in learning we are more powerful than we know. And, the greatest gift we can give is to empower another.

We talk about everything from Joseph Campbell to Beyonce as we explore various concepts from wandering the desert in the hero’s journey, living with passion and purpose, and embracing transformation in all of its various forms.

He transcended the confines of physical matter and like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Chris began a beautiful journey of living with intention and purpose.