Surrender, Shine, Survive

Captured by Mitchell Royel
Now playing: "Into You" by Ariana Grande

Captured by Mitchell Royel
Now playing: "Into You" by Ariana Grande

“Picture this: 2016, a townhouse nestled right against the freeway's humming heartbeat. My life was a mixtape of Ariana and Nicki's "Side to Side" - raw, unapologetic, and pulsing with potential.

Every morning was a ritual of resilience. My selfie clicker became my companion, documenting a journey that was equal parts mundane and magical. The local Instagram profile became my digital confessional - a space where vulnerability met visibility.

Before the car, before the chaos, there were buses. Endless rides that became my meditation spaces. Walking city blocks, backpack heavy with dreams and textbooks, I was crafting a narrative nobody could predict. Each step was a prayer, each breath a promise.

And then? Everything shifted.

Losing my 'fellowship' wasn't just about losing a position. It was a spiritual dismantling. The universe doesn't give you challenges; it gives you opportunities to rebuild. When my external world crumbled, my internal landscape began to bloom.

Beauty isn't about perfection. It's about persistence. It's about standing in the middle of your own deconstruction and choosing to see light. Those bus rides, those walks, that townhouse next to the freeway - they weren't just locations. They were classrooms of consciousness.

My selfies weren't just images. They were declarations: I am here. I am becoming. I am enough.

To anyone listening: Our redirections are not rejections. They are redirections.

Surrender. Trust. Shine.”

-Mitchell + Ryder (of Gospel Glamour)