Hurtful times are inevitable. Damage is inevitable. They come around every time you feel like they’re gone, but we’re always pushed forward because time never waits. Time can dilute emotions but never erase it, leaving us to choose whether to leave it or tend to it. No matter how long certain moments feel, they pass someday and something new always emerges.

Here, hair is us and time makes it grow. It mirrors the quiet process of healing and growth even if it looks static, and left split, tangled, or unattended. We also get tangled in memories, both good and bad, but grow regardless.

The image depicts hand braiding hair, a simple yet intimate gesture of care. That hand can belong to anyone or anything: a friend, your dog, a version of yourself, or something as simple as a sip of coffee and a moment of peace. Braiding is not urgent. It’s a slow, deliberate process that requires dedication, effort, and care. But it’s in embracing these small, slow, “intermissions,” where I find the most meaning and support to keep moving forward. Even if the actions feel ordinary or unproductive, these connections and pauses are what sustains us.