This year has been a wild ride of discovering a world bigger and sharper than I knew, with Grandma Thandeka's absence leaving a quiet ache I'm still learning to understand. My sister Mpho is my rock, and even though my clumsy hands sometimes can't build the towers I dream of, I'm finding my voice and reaching for what feels right. There's so much life and wonder in every day, even when the grown-up worries make the air feel heavy; I'm just trying to piece it all together, one small step at a time.