i now explore alone, pebble stone paths beneath my feet, where only echoes of my footsteps fill the silence, soft and sweet. the air’s embrace is all i know, a tender chill, a fleeting touch. the world around me quiet grows, yet never asks for much. a bill for one, the table set, no need for laughter, in this moment. in solitude, i find rest, within the stillness of the crowd. (poem from my solo trip to portugal)