''Shells of light and shadow We all wear shells, delicate fabrics of memories, shaped by time. They lie close to our skin, some as permeable as silk, others as rigid, like armor. A shell of joy shines in bright colors, warms the soul and makes breathing easy. But when pain paints its colors, the shell becomes heavy and rough dark like a storm cloud that threatens to swallow up the sun. Some shells are torn. They tell of scars, of dreams let go and the battles we have won or lost. Others shine, flawless and smooth, but underneath often lurks the fear that they could tear if something touches them. But there are also those who keep their. They hide tears behind masks of smiles, peering through shimmering windows of glass, while inside lives a silence that no one should hear. In the end, the question remains: Are we the shell we wear? Or the quiet voice underneath, whispering that we are more, that we are growing and becoming new, again and again, like a Phoenix from the ashes of our own lives?''
