20/05/2026
There are many abandoned ruins hidden around Portugal.
Places once full of life, intention, movement and people.
Now quiet.
Broken open.
Taken back slowly by nature.
For a long time, this is how I felt inside.
Not ruined beyond repair.
Just neglected internally while trying to keep everything functioning externally.
The interesting thing is that restoring a ruin takes time.
Patience.
Care.
Respect for what is already there.
And if it’s done properly, working with nature instead of against it, something beautiful can exist again without pretending it was never broken.
I think many of us are rebuilding ourselves quietly while still walking around looking “fine”.
Maybe healing is less about becoming someone new and more about allowing life back into the places that went silent.💚