Have you ever felt you grew up faster than you should have? Had to become someone before you even knew who you were? You’ve come to the right space.

The Catalyst: Becoming a Father at 21

Instead of spending my 20s discovering new substances to put into my body, I had to develop a worldview and lessons worth teaching to others. At 21, I became a father. And like a lot of people who grew up faster than expected, I didn’t have time to figure life out for myself first.

The world comes at you at a different velocity when you know there’s another set of eyes looking to you for advice, knowledge, experience, and wisdom. All of which I was learning for the very first time. Being a young father meant I didn’t have the luxury of time to discover myself and become the creative I’ve always envisioned myself to be. I was never granted the comfort of being allowed to mess up and start over again. I had to build myself up, somehow, and do it quickly.

Except, I didn’t have a game plan.

The Real-World Classroom: 13 Years as a Barber

Out of all the trades out there, barbering was the one that had the lowest barrier to entry. It was the only one that worked with life’s circumstances that I found myself in.

The barbershop became one of the real-world classrooms in human philosophy. Spending 13 years behind the chair, interacting with hundreds of different lives every year. I’ve watched people from all walks of life reach the same intersections of life at different stages. I saw the patterns of human struggle, the weighted pressures of expectations, and the silent desperation of work culture in the Bay Area. Over time, I started to notice that no matter who sat in my chair, everyone was working towards the same thing — purpose.

In those years, I became the provider, listener, and observer. But in the process of serving others, I forgot to be of service to myself. 

This is what led me to journaling.

I’ve utilized a journal to remind myself to slow down. To remember the philosophies I’ve learned as a barber. To make sense of the life I lived for the last 13 years.

The Architecture: Why This Blog Exists

This isn’t just a blog about stationery or philosophy.

This is a place for people who feel like they’re still figuring life out.

It’s the collective effort to remind ourselves of who we were before the world told us to grow up, and remember that the childlike wonder is what pushed us to move forward in the first place.

If that resonates with you, you’ve come to the right place.

If you want deeper reflections, I share more intimate stories and deeper reflections each week in my newsletter.