My Archive Origins

For six years, I have dreamed of creating a tangible archive of both my writing and photographs. I have played with every outlet imaginable-

I filled journals, both digital and physical, created many instagrams, folded together my own zines, made collages and playlists, but none could satiate the craving to create.

I feel sad when I recall how much of my childhood was spent repressing and hiding who I was and the memories I had.

However, with every experimental archive, I felt closer to myself. I learned how to be comfortable voicing my experiences and inner world. It brought me excitement and joy to see myself expressed in different formats.

With constant work and self-reassurance, I feel ready to be here, to be myself.

It suddenly seems so important to soak in every minute detail with all the love and gratitude I can muster. No single moment can be recreated; It is a blessing just to bear witness.

The awareness of how fleeting my youth is does not weigh heavy on me, yet I still ache to preserve myself how I am right now- in this very moment.

Maybe it is to make up for all that I lost.

Nevertheless, I will never be this young again. One day these efforts will all be a distant memory, but I will carry the fruit of my labor with me, and it will be full of love.

I am grounding down into my roots- coming back to myself.