Yesterday, I stood among thousands coming together to fill every key downtown intersection in St. Petersburg’s Hands Off protest—a gathering not of spectacle, but of presence. It wasn’t rage that stayed with me afterward, but something quieter. Something deeper.

What I’m sharing today is a reflection that grew out of that experience. It’s not commentary—it’s what remained in my chest after the signs were lowered and the noise receded.

*If you’d prefer to read, you’ll find the written version of this reflection here:

And for context, the piece that came just before it:

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