Thirteen Threshold: Journey of Becoming

cbr, 2025, “Venus in Gemini” - DEZI

cbr, 2025, “Venus in Gemini” - DEZI

In the raw landscape of my tenth-grade year, I discovered the intricate dance of identity—a journey both painful and profound. This was the year I became an architect of my own social survival, a navigator of cultural intersections that would reshape my understanding of connection.

Opportunist’s Awakening

I learned early that belonging is a currency, and sometimes, survival demands strategic navigation. My Persian classmate became more than a friend—they were a bridge, an opportunity to cross into social territories previously unexplored. Was it manipulation? Perhaps. But in the brutal ecosystem of high school, survival often wears many masks.

“آدم باهوش در هر موقعیتی راه خود را پیدا می‌کند”

“The intelligent person finds their way in every situation”

But intelligence isn’t just about winning—it’s about understanding the complex tapestry of human connection.

Loving Through Imperfection

My fascination with Persian and white ‘bro’ cultures wasn’t about perfect understanding. It was messy, complicated, beautifully human. I was a perpetual student, always getting something wrong, always learning. My heart’s intention was never perfection, but genuine connection.

To my Persian brothers and sisters, to my white ‘bro’ community—I acknowledge my imperfections. I am still learning, still becoming.

Spiritual Reflection

In the grand narrative of human experience, my tenth-grade journey was but a single thread—complex, vibrant, unapologetically authentic.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

1 Corinthians 13:12

We are all, always, in the process of becoming—navigating the delicate boundaries of identity, connection, and understanding.

-Mitchell Royel