There is a beautiful, quiet urgency in the words of Hafiz. When he speaks of running away from anything that does not strengthen our wings, he isn't suggesting we hide from the world in fear. Instead, he is inviting us to practice a sacred kind of discernment. He reminds us that our faith, our spirit, and our inner peace are like delicate, new buds. They require the right kind of nourishment, warmth, and light to eventually unfold into something magnificent. If we allow heavy, toxic, or draining influences to settle upon us, we risk stifling that growth before it even has a chance to begin.

In our everyday lives, this often looks like the small, difficult decisions we make regarding our boundaries. We live in a world that constantly asks for our attention, our energy, and our emotional labor. Sometimes, we find ourselves staying in conversations that leave us feeling depleted, or clinging to habits that promise comfort but actually weigh us down. We tell ourselves that we should be able to handle it all, but the truth is that not every storm is meant to be weathered, and not every person is meant to walk beside us in our most sacred seasons of growth.

I remember a time when I felt so overwhelmed by trying to please everyone around me. I was spreading myself so thin that I felt like my very essence was becoming translucent and weak. I was trying to carry everyone else's heavy burdens, forgetting that my own wings were still learning how to catch the wind. It wasn't until I started saying 'no' to the things that drained my spirit that I felt my confidence and my faith begin to return. I realized that by running away from the noise, I was actually running toward my true self.

It takes a lot of courage to recognize when something is no longer serving your soul. It can feel lonely to step away from the familiar, but there is such profound freedom in choosing what nourishes you. As you move through your week, I want you to take a gentle look at your surroundings and your relationships. Ask yourself honestly: Is this helping me grow, or is it weighing me down? Give yourself permission to protect those precious, budding wings of yours. You deserve to fly with strength and grace.