The Fire That Knows My Name The elders say There is a heat that does not destroy. It sharpens purpose, teaches the heart when to stand firm and when to step aside. I learned that courage is not fury, but clarity— the strength to protect what is sacred without needing to be seen. Some paths are walked alone, not from exile, but from duty. A watchful spirit must sometimes choose distance to keep balance intact. What burns within us is not meant for conquest. It is meant to light the way. to remind us who we are When the world tries to rename us. So I move with steady resolve, guided by an old flame— one that honors ancestors, guards the living, and carries the promise that survival, when rooted in respect, becomes legacy. 🎨Artist and storyteller: Dorothy Sep