Waiting for the Glow

I spent an hour this morning untangling a string of fairy lights I had shoved into a drawer last winter. It was a messy, frustrating task, and I almost gave up twice. But once I finally plugged them in, the room changed. The harsh, clinical light of the day faded into something softer, something that felt like a secret. It made me think about how much we rely on small, artificial glows to get us through the dark. We keep these little beacons tucked away, waiting for a moment when the world feels a bit too heavy or a bit too cold. It isn’t just about the light itself, but the intention behind it—the quiet decision to create warmth when there isn’t any to be found. We are all just trying to brighten our own corners, aren’t we? What is the one thing you keep nearby just to remind yourself that things can still be beautiful?

Jim Alonzo has captured this feeling perfectly in his photograph titled Boracay Lanterns. It feels like a warm invitation to sit and stay a while. Does this image make you feel as peaceful as it makes me?