I used to believe—when I was younger, more optimistic, a little naive, and wildly idealistic—that I would grow up with no regrets. I thought every decision, every turn, every possibility would lead me exactly where I needed to be, shaping me into the person I was meant to become. But growing older changes you. Reality touches you in places you never expected, and the world reveals a kind of cruelty you once thought you were exempt from. I’ve lived through things I never imagi

I have always been in love with stories. There’s something about them—how words, written by a stranger, can feel like home. How emotions...