Tag: Empathy

  • Author’s Note

    I’ve always thought it was strange that monsters get such bad press.

    Most of them never asked to be monsters in the first place.

    They’re usually just the things we’re afraid of. The things we don’t understand. The things we refuse to look at directly.

    What would happen if I stopped fearing the monsters under the bed and actually talked to them?

    The answer surprised me.

    Because once the conversation began, the monsters behaving like monsters.

    They became neighbors.

    Parents.

    Friends.

    People with lives beyond the role they had been assigned in my imagination.

    And that’s where the poem’s real interest emerged.

    Not in monsters themselves, but in the human tendency to create them.

    We have a habit of turning difference into danger.

    A habit of mistaking unfamiliarity for threat.

    A habit of reducing people to a single trait, label, identity, or assumption until they become something easier to fear than understand.

    The monsters in this poem don’t seem to share that habit.

    They celebrate what makes them unique.

    They recognize difference without treating it as division.

    They understand something many of us spend our lives trying to learn:

    There is a difference between being different and being separate.

    That’s where the title comes from.

    Theology is simply the study of what we believe.

    And Monster Theology asks a simple question:

    What if the monsters were better at being human than we are?

    Maybe the real lesson isn’t learning how to defeat monsters.

    Maybe it’s learning how to stop creating them.

    Rowan Evans


    A child sits peacefully with a group of friendly monsters in a softly lit bedroom, symbolizing understanding and acceptance across differences.
    “Maybe the real lesson isn’t learning how to defeat monsters. Maybe it’s learning how to stop creating them.”

    Monster Theology
    Poetry by Rowan Evans

    I’ve made friends
    with the monsters—
    in my closet,
    and under the bed.

    They used to scare me,
    but I realized
    I wasn’t judging them
    fairly.

    These monsters
    have feelings,
    children and lives
    outside of my room.

    I’m not the only one
    they visit,
    I’m not the only friend
    they have.

    They tell me
    about the others
    sometimes.

    But they aren’t allowed
    to talk about that a lot.

    So we’ll stick to the difference
    between their world and ours.

    They say it’s much the same,
    many lands with many peoples—
    but they find our focus
    on differences strange.

    They don’t understand
    why we fear what makes us unique.
    They don’t understand
    why we can’t acknowledge our strengths
    without diminishing others.

    To them—
    monsters are monsters,
    they are all the same
    but not.

    They celebrate
    what makes them different,
    the things
    that make them unique.

    Celebrate.
    Not separate.

    That’s the monster motto.

    And sometimes I wish
    we lived like they do—

    less afraid
    of what makes us different,

    less eager
    to turn each other
    into monsters.


    Journey into the Hexverse…

    [Danny Phantom Theology]
    What begins as a metaphor borrowed from a childhood cartoon becomes something deeper: a reflection on existing between survival and possibility, exhaustion and hope, the life we have and the life we long for. Danny Phantom Theology explores what it means to keep moving toward a future that feels worth living.

    [Lone Wolf Theology]
    A philosophical pop-culture poem exploring freedom, identity, and self-authorship through the lens of superheroes, antiheroes, mythic archetypes, and personal rebellion. A declaration of autonomy in a world determined to write your story for you.

    If you’re interested in more poetry, you can find it here → [The Library of Ashes]

  • Author’s Note

    This is one of the shortest poems I’ve written in a while, but it carries an idea I’ve been circling for years.

    A lot of love poems focus on being understood.

    Wanting someone to see you. Wanting someone to know you. Wanting someone to understand the parts of yourself that feel difficult to explain.

    Those desires are real.

    But as I was writing this piece, I realized my attention was pointed in the opposite direction.

    I wasn’t thinking about being understood.

    I was thinking about understanding.

    About how every person carries an internal world that exists beyond simple translation. A private rhythm. A natural cadence. A way of thinking and feeling that doesn’t always survive the journey into spoken language.

    I think that’s part of why I write so often about language, communication, and connection.

    Not because I believe perfect understanding is possible.

    But because the attempt matters.

    Because choosing to learn someone—to listen carefully, to pay attention, to remain curious about who they are beneath the surface—is one of the most meaningful forms of affection I know.

    The title came first.

    “The Language Her Soul Speaks.”

    Not because I believe souls literally have languages, but because some people seem to move through the world with a rhythm that feels uniquely their own.

    This poem is about wanting to learn that rhythm.

    Not to change it.

    Not to possess it.

    Just to understand it a little better than I did yesterday.

    Rowan Evans


    Two figures stand beneath a moonlit sky as glowing strands of language and light flow between them, symbolizing understanding, communication, and emotional connection.
    “Not because I need to be understood, but because I want to understand.” — The Language Her Soul Speaks by Rowan Evans

    The Language Her Soul Speaks
    Poetry by Rowan Evans

    I want to whisper secrets
    in the language her soul speaks,
    touch the edges of her mind
    in the natural cadence
    in which she thinks—

    not translated,
    not borrowed,
    not filtered
    through the limits of my tongue.

    Not because I need
    to be understood,
    but because I want to understand.


    Journey into the Hexverse…

    [L Words & Heart]
    A playful, self-aware poem about love, longing, loyalty, and the quiet ways another person can reshape our inner world. What begins as humor slowly reveals a heartfelt confession about affection, imagination, and the faces that linger in our dreams.

    [Just Beyond Waking]
    A street that feels familiar. A life that hasn’t happened yet. Just Beyond Waking explores the fragile space between dreams, memory, longing, and the quiet feeling that some futures are already waiting for us.

    [I’ll Be There to See Your Sunrise]
    Love has never come easily to me. This poem explores the fear, vulnerability, and quiet courage required to stay emotionally present when connection begins to matter deeply. “I’ll Be There to See Your Sunrise” is about choosing love despite the risk of heartbreak—and promising to remain long enough to witness someone fully.

    If you’re interested in more poetry, you can find it here → [The Library of Ashes]

  • Author’s Note

    When I was a kid, other children wished for speed, flight, invisibility and teleportation. I wished to understand.

    This piece isn’t about wanderlust or escape. It’s about connection – the desire to meet people in the language they speak at home, in the rhythm that feels natural to them. I may not have superpowers, but I’ve spent years training my ear, listening with intention, and closing the distance in the ways I can.

    Some bridges are built with ink.
    Others are built with effort.

    Rowan Evans


    A child on a playground at sunset looking up at glowing words in different languages in the sky, symbolizing connection and fluency.
    Some wished for flight. I wished for fluency.

    The Power I Chose
    Poetry by Rowan Evans

    Let me take you back
    to playground conversations—
    when superpowers
    were the topic at hand,
    and kids were wishing
    for flight, speed or teleportation.

    Then there was me—
    I wished for connection
    and fluency, for no language
    to be new to me.

    I wanted my ears to pick-up
    language and cadence,
    and my mouth to repeat it
    perfectly. I wanted,
    no matter where
    someone was—

    I wanted to be able
    to meet ’em,
    to greet ’em
    with the language
    they spoke at home.

    I pictured traveling
    touching every corner
    of the globe,
    absorbing language,
    perfecting cadence.
    Living in a rhythm
    not my own.

    Now, the power
    may not have been real,
    but I’ve done
    what I could
    to train my ear.
    Listen with intention,
    until all language
    felt the same.
    And I may not know
    what you’re sayin’,
    but it no longer
    feels foreign.

    I’ll keep learning,
    and opening doors.
    Closing gaps,
    connecting with souls—

    As I continue to wander
    this earth, in search
    of a place to call home.
    Until I feel the pull of roots,
    I will continue to put
    earth under boots.
    I will continue to move,
    never becoming static.


    If you’re interested in more poetry, you can find it here → [The Library of Ashes]

  • Author’s Note

    This poem was written as a story for children — a soft place to land, a little lantern of kindness and empathy wrapped in rhyme.

    I’ve always believed that the lessons we learn earliest are the ones that shape the way we love the world. Paul T. Geist & RoRo’s Adventures in the Land of Heartfelt Wonders was born from that belief: that gentleness can be taught, that growth doesn’t have to come with shame, and that even a grumpy heart is still a good heart learning how to bloom.

    One day, I would love to see this story illustrated and bound into an actual children’s book — something a parent could read at bedtime, something a child could return to when their feelings feel too big. Until then, it lives here as a small spell for softness.

    For the little ones.
    And for the inner children still learning how to be kind to themselves.


    A friendly ghost and a young girl walk through a glowing pastel forest in a whimsical children’s storybook scene.
    Paul T. Geist and RoRo begin their journey through the Land of Heartfelt Wonders, where kindness makes the world bloom.

    Paul T. Geist & RoRo’s Adventures
    in
    The Land of Heartfelt Wonders
    Poetry by Roo the Poet
    Written September 13th, 2024

    In a town where whispers float on a breeze,
    Lived a ghost named Paul T. Geist with a chill that could freeze.
    He wore a top hat and a smile that was bright,
    And danced through the shadows with pure delight.

    RoRo was a girl with a heart full of cheer,
    But sometimes her kindness would disappear.
    One day she was grumpy, she wasn’t so nice,
    And her friends felt the sting, not once but twice.

    Paul T. Geist saw her frown from afar,
    He floated in gently, like a soft falling star.
    “Dear RoRo,” he said with a ghostly wink,
    “Let’s go on a journey—come, let’s rethink.”

    They ventured through woods with leaves soft and blue,
    To a place where the flowers glistened with dew.
    “Welcome to the Land of Heartfelt Wonders,” he cheered,
    “A place where kindness and empathy are revered.”

    They met a small bunny with a tear in her eye,
    And RoRo learned why with a heartfelt sigh.
    She saw how her words could hurt, oh so deep,
    And how kindness was a promise to keep.

    Paul T. Geist showed her a magical scene,
    Where kindness grew flowers, in shades of serene.
    Each smile and hug, a petal so fair,
    Blossomed in joy through the sweet, fragrant air.

    RoRo then saw the bunny’s sad eyes grow bright,
    As she offered a hug with all of her might.
    The bunny then beamed with a heart full of cheer,
    And the Land of Wonders sparkled with cheer.

    With a heart now open, RoRo returned,
    With a lesson of kindness eagerly learned.
    She spread love and warmth in all she did,
    Making sure no one’s heart was ever hid.

    Paul T. Geist waved as he faded from sight,
    Leaving RoRo with warmth and delight.
    And as she drifted to sleep that night,
    She knew kindness and empathy made the world bright.

    So remember, dear children, as you grow and play,
    Let kindness guide you in every way.
    For in the Land of Heartfelt Wonders so near,
    A heart full of love is the treasure most dear.


    If you’re interested in more poetry, you can find it here → [The Library of Ashes]

  • Author’s Note

    This piece reflects on the quiet strength it takes to remain soft in a world that often tries to harden you. It’s a personal reflection on resilience, empathy, and the enduring capacity to love, even in the face of doubt and adversity.

    This post marks my 83rd consecutive day of sharing on the blog,   I have not missed a day since August 8th… During this time, I have tried to push myself to be a little more open. A little more honest. Even when it’s hard, even when I just want to be closed off from the world…


    Figure sitting on the floor surrounded by pinned papers and threads, illuminated by soft light, representing reflection, resilience, and quiet strength.
    Caught in the threads of life — resilience and reflection hold them in place.

    Exhibit of Survival
    Poetry by Rowan Evans


    Pins.
    They hold me in place.
    As the glass
    lowers over my face.
    Framed.
    In a frame. On display.
    Like a dead butterfly.


    I have had people in my life who pretended to be on my side—who pretended to care—when really, they just wanted front-row seats to my struggles. They wanted to watch as I unraveled, whispering doubts to freeze me in place, to preserve the ache. To keep me from moving forward. And yet, I still pushed. I still tried.


    Threads.
    Tied to limbs.
    Marionette.
    Puppet on strings.
    They’ve got control of me.
    Free? Not really.


    Those same people tried to talk me out of anything I wanted to do—anything that could bring me closer to the life I wanted. “Why do you want to leave America?” they’d ask. But it’s not my home; it’s just the place I was born. The place I was raised. I’ve never felt like I belong here. Not once.

    Everything holds me back—my brain looping their doubts, my own depression and anxiety echoing them back to me. It’s a war on all fronts. And still, I stand.


    My thoughts.
    They flutter and fade
    in this liminal space.
    It’s pain—
    just to be alive.
    It’s a wonder.
    A miracle.
    How have I survived?


    Resilience. And reminders from the few who truly see me, who truly believe in me. Without them, I might have given up long ago. But because of them, I’ve kept my empathy alive. I’ve refused apathy. I’ve stayed soft. I’ve kept my heart open and given love freely.


    How?
    How have I
    made it to thirty-five?
    Every day I wake up.
    Surprised.


    That surprise isn’t mine anymore. It’s the echo of others’ doubts—ones I no longer answer.

  • Author’s Note

    The Vows began as an exploration of devotion — not the romanticized kind, but the kind forged in ache, honesty, and reverence.

    Vow I was surrender: letting the ink run dry, allowing love to unmake what was hardened.
    Vow II was endurance: the willingness to break, to bear the bruise and still remain.
    And Vow III — this final vow — is understanding: the quiet promise to listen, to learn, and to love without translation.

    Together, they form a trinity of intimacy — the heart’s slow evolution from sacrifice to fluency, from bleeding to belonging.

    This isn’t a story of martyrdom. It’s a story of witnessing: of meeting someone’s soul and saying, I see you, I’ll learn you, I’ll speak your language.
    That is the purest vow I know.

    Rowan Evans


    “Two hands nearly touching through candlelight over scattered handwritten vows and ink-stained pages — symbolizing understanding and emotional intimacy.”
    “The final vow — not of silence or breaking, but of becoming fluent in another’s heart.” — Rowan Evans

    I Love You (Enough to Learn You)
    Poetry by Rowan Evans

    I’d let the ink run dry,
    then I’d break willingly.
    That was vow one,
    and vow two.
    This is vow three—for you.

    I love you enough
    to put you first—
    to make you a priority
    in my life.
    Everyone else be damned,
    I will—

    learn your language,
    learn the nuance,
    so you can speak freely,
    say exactly what you need.

    I will learn the cadence of your world,
    so I can understand—
    not to change you,
    but to meet you where you are.

    I love you enough to listen
    when words falter,
    to read what your silence says
    when your voice can’t.

    I’ll make a home in your pauses,
    a temple in your sighs.
    You gave me peace—
    so I’ll give you peace of mind.

    I’ll give you understanding—
    that’s vow three.
    Not of silence,
    not of breaking,
    but of becoming fluent
    in your heart.


    The Silent Vows

    [I Love You (Enough to Go Silent)]
    A vow written in ink and silence — a confession of love so deep it would sacrifice its own voice to spare another’s tears. “I Love You (Enough to Go Silent)” is a Neo-Gothic devotion from Rowan Evans, where the act of not speaking becomes the loudest declaration of love.

    [I Love You (Enough to Break Willingly)]
    A vow whispered in ink and ache — love not as surrender, but as shared endurance. “I Love You (Enough to Break Willingly)” is Rowan Evans’ second vow, a quiet confession of devotion that chooses breaking over leaving, and burden over indifference.

  • Author’s Note

    Mabuti ako ng hindi ako mabuti was born from that familiar ache of being awake while the world sleeps—the quiet, heavy solitude of overthinking and feeling too much. It’s about seeing the beauty in others while struggling to recognize it in yourself, about cracks, missing pieces, and the weight of empathy in a world that can feel cold.

    The poem weaves together languages, not by accident but by instinct: the Tagalog line as both title and closing heartbeat, grounding the piece in a personal, intimate voice; and my youthful “Nani the fuck?”—a playful, yet sharp, reflection of confusion and disbelief, a nod to my early fascination with Japanese and the way language can capture emotion in a single exclamation.

    This is a poem about exhaustion, insomnia, and the unrelenting pressure of a sensitive heart. It’s also about holding space for yourself the way you hold space for others—learning to see your own gold, even when the lanterns have burned out and the path is dark.


    Solitary figure sitting on bed in dimly lit room, hands covering face, shadows cast across cracked walls with scattered glowing Kintsugi fragments on the floor, evoking introspection and emotional struggle.
    Even in darkness and brokenness, fragments of unseen beauty remain.

    Mabuti Ako ng Hindi Ako Mabuti
    Poetry by Rowan Evans

    I stand before the mirror—
    and all I see, staring back at me
    are cracks.
    I’m just a broken mess,
    a bowl full of holes—
    too big to mend with gold.

    I’ve got—
    too many missing pieces.
    Too many pieces left behind.
    There’s no Kintsugi here.
    No witnesses near.

    Shaking hands and tear stained face,
    I’m so alone, always alone.
    Even with people around.

    All my relationships—
    The color of autumn.
    People leave.

    Now I ask—
    why can’t I see the beauty
    in my own imperfections?
    Why do I only hold that view,
    for everyone but me?
    Why can’t I see?
    Why am I so blind to me?

    And I feel stuck in the dark.
    My laterns burned out,
    I’m wandering lost.
    Is this the cost—
    for being a gentle soul like me?

    The world wasn’t made for me—
    I’m too warm for apathy,
    I cling to empathy like a life vest.
    I give weary souls a place to rest,
    but nowhere for me to lay my head…
    So I stay up instead.

    Insomnia has a hold on me. 
    I’ve stayed up for two days— 
    in one twenty-four hour period. 
    How does that add up? 
    But that’s the math. 
    Don’t laugh. Don’t ask.
    Nani the fuck?

    Yet still, people ask,
    “How are you doing?”
    I say, mabuti ako
    ng hindi ako mabuti.


    If you enjoyed this poem, check out more of my work [here].

  • Heartfelt Solidarity: Support for Those Affected by the Recent Storm in the Philippines

    The flag of the Philippines at half mast.
    For every life lost, for every heart still beating.

    Even though I have never set foot in the Philippines, the country has always held a special place in my heart. Over the years, through friendships and personal connections, I have come to feel a deep respect and affection for its people. Asia, in general, has been a part of my life in ways I sometimes can’t fully explain, but that connection runs deep.

    Hearing about the recent storm that tragically took the lives of ten people in the Philippines hit me hard. I cannot imagine the grief, loss, and upheaval that families and communities are enduring. It is in moments like these that I feel compelled to stand in solidarity, even from afar.

    If you feel moved to help, here are a few reputable organizations providing relief and support to those affected:

    Philippine Red Cross – Emergency aid, medical relief, and recovery support across the country.

    GlobalGiving – Provides emergency supplies and long-term recovery assistance.

    Caritas Manila – Coordinates disaster response and long-term recovery efforts.

    Oxfam Pilipinas – Supports marginalized communities and climate resilience programs.

    World Vision Philippines – Provides food, shelter, and child protection during emergencies.

    Save the Children Philippines – Ensures children’s education, health, and protection in disaster-affected areas.

    Even a small act of support—whether it’s donating, spreading awareness, or keeping those affected in your thoughts—can make a difference. My heart goes out to everyone impacted, and I hope we can all hold them in compassion and solidarity.

    I send this prayer across the ocean—
    to the shorelines I’ve never touched,
    to the people I’ve always carried in my heart.
    Even in the dark,
    light belongs to you.

    May the storms relent,
    and the seas grow still.
    May hands find hands,
    and hearts hold fast.
    The sun will rise again
    over the islands I love.

    Though miles and waters divide us,
    I feel your grief like it is my own.
    Hold on, beloved Philippines—
    my heart is with you.