Song: Next to Me

I listen to Next to Me by Imagine Dragon. it hit me differently today. This sunny day, clear sky with no cloud, no polution ... and the kids, they are sleep with ease ... I pull over the car, shut down the aircon then open the window, let the wind burst in.

I wandered through deserts of doubt, my feet blistered by the rocky terrain of life's trials. The horizon seemed endless, a mirage of hope always just out of reach. My heart, heavy with the weight of mistakes and missteps, often whispered, "How much longer can I go on?"

But then there was You.

You, steady as the stars, constant as the sun that rose even on my darkest days. When I stumbled, knees hitting the ground, I felt Your presence like a quiet whisper in the wind. “Get up,” You seemed to say. Not in judgment, but in love.

You stood next to me when I broke promises—to myself, to others, to You. When my anger boiled over, when my heart grew cold, You stayed. In the silence, in the chaos, You were there, unwavering.

I looked back on the shattered pieces of my past and realized something profound: You were not the architect of my storms, but the shelter that stood firm through them. You did not remove my burdens, but You shared the weight.

And so, when the chorus of shame sang louder than hope, when I doubted my worth, Your grace was louder. It echoed in my soul, telling me I was never alone, not once, not ever.

Now, as I walk forward, I no longer fear the horizon. Because no matter where the road twists or how steep the climb, I know one truth: You are always next to me.