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who am i: 10 core emotions
2026
Art by Hwee Chieh
Writing by Zack Chua
-
Do not react. Let it flow away.
This is not who I choose to be.
Let my anger melt into the earth.
Let it melt slowly. Release gradually.
I will not come back to this.
This is my favor to my future self.
-
Close your eyes.
Breathe deeply.Despite all your fears.
You are here.
Right now.You have prepared enough.
Lost enough sleep.All that remains
is one final step.I’ll see you at the celebration.
-
The hairs on your arm rising
before the answer arrives.
The thrill of almost knowing.The gift of feeling enchanted,
of finding deep satisfaction
in one more question,
one more clue,
one more colour in the sky.The ache of not yet understanding.
The itch that makes the ordinary impossible to ignore.
The spark that makes the smallest clue feel alive.Stay curious.
May wonder keep its flame. -
There is a child in me.
A child who knows no bad smell,
no bad sight,
no bad person.Even the foulest thing
can still fascinate her.She does not flinch first.
She looks closer.This child lives within me.
And when I need her,
I bring her out.Like a superpower.
Let me share this power with you.Come closer.
-
This quiet burden,
this strange uneasiness,
is not weakness.For indifference is weaker
than remorse.This feeling is proof
of the soul within,
aching toward something better.Your heart craves the good,
and today,
you move one step closer.One lost battle
does not end the war.Keep going.
I’ll see you at the finish line.
-
“Yes, accomplishments, big dreams,
and life-changing moments are wonderful and all,but have you tried a really good piece of cake?”
— A joyful philosopher, the last of his kind
There are three types of people:
One lives for today.
One lives for tomorrow.
And one realises
a full life makes room for both.“Enjoy the little things in life, because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”
— Kurt Vonnegut
-
Her:
Thank you for always looking out for me, for noticing what I need, and for giving me your time so freely.Thank you for not rushing to carry me, but allowing me to grow stronger in my own way.
Thank you for your patience, and for staying beside me through it all.
Him:
Thank you for walking this journey with me, through all that is difficult and frightening.Perhaps one day we will reach our destination.
But even if there is none, this path remains my choice, because it is one I choose with you.
I chose it yesterday,
I choose it today,
and I will choose it again tomorrow. -
Savor this moment.
It was not given freely.Feel it.
Embrace it.
Remember it.But do not let it become your name.
The taste of success.
The cheers of the crowd.
The crown of achievement.They are by-products.
Only a fraction of you.Without them,
you are still you.May this moment make you proud,
but never prideful. -
There is a certain kind of sadness.
A special kind.A kind that dwells in the greyness,
heavy, aching,
and difficult to name.When the entire world around you is celebrating.
When happiness and joy are expected,
but all you feel
is intense melancholy.It is okay.
Rather be true and cry
than to force a smile.You are not wrong
for feeling differently.You are not alone.
-
“Whoa!
What is this?
Am I in a dream?”“No.
Girl.
You are in a dream come true.”Pleasant surprises are life’s hidden elixirs.