Candles are a reminder of that question.

So is art.

So is movement.

So is love.

They don’t demand anything.

They don’t rush you.

They just invite you to arrive.

We’re often taught to look for becoming in visible change — new habits, new identities, new declarations.

But real becoming is usually subtle.

When you lead with fear, you train the body to stay alert. When you lead with care, you invite regulation.

A quiet recognition that time moves in cycles, and that tending to ourselves often happens best when it’s invited — not insisted upon.

self-care theatre doesn’t usually begin with bad intentions. It often begins with exhaustion. When we’re depleted, we look for something that promises relief. Something that says:

Do this, and you’ll feel better.

regulation changes the quality of every decision that follows — from who you listen to, to what you consume, to what you allow into your body, your home, your work.