A Quiet Fear We Don’t Speak About

There are seasons in life when our hearts pause long enough to notice the quiet shifts happening within us. Moments when we begin to see ourselves, our relationships, and our choices with new clarity. In those pauses, stories form—stories that shape who we are becoming.

Lately, I’ve grown frightened of a certain kind of decline, the kind that sneaks up on a person until there’s barely anything left to salvage.

It reminds me of an old car that one day takes its last useful trip. Its engine still warm, its seats still intact, but it never moves again after that. Days turn into months; grass dies beneath it; tires deflate; dust thickens; the windscreen turns milky. Give it ten years and rust has conquered every inch, sun and rain have done their damage, and a once-functional machine is now only worth the price …