Writing samples
I used to write for myself, as well as serving as an editor and co-author of some chapters for the book by Mark Amell, founder of Local Business Rising.
The allegory of the barn: Unity is strength
There was a time when a barn wasn’t just a structure—it was a symbol of community. When a family needed one, neighbors didn’t send invoices or proposals: They showed up. Farmers, craftsmen, and families gathered at sunrise, each bringing tools, food, and know-how. By sunset, walls stood tall, laughter echoed, and something bigger than wood and nails had been built: trust, shared purpose, and resilience.
Technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in a relatively short period—to the point where the world we grew up in is vastly different from the world of today. We went from using letters to telegrams and landlines, and now we have mobile phones, email, and social media. We live in a world where connecting with almost anyone on the other side of the globe is incredibly easy... yet in the process, many of us have lost something important: our humanity and genuine face-to-face connection.
We are more connected than ever, yet we have never felt so alone. And I am not speaking only of personal relationships; I am also referring to connections in the business world: many people are too focused on meeting personal goals and obligations, forgetting that those around them are human beings too and that it is important not to sever ties with them. Today, small businesses often operate in isolation, competing for attention, customers, and survival. But imagine if we borrowed a page from those barn-raising days.
(...)
A simple way to understand that there is strength in unity is to look at the example of certain species, such as ants. Ants are insects known for their small size but also for their incredible strength; however, when an ant works alone, its strength or resilience matters little, because what it can achieve on its own is quite limited. If a tiny ant wants to carry a grasshopper back to its colony, the first thing it does is call for reinforcements from its fellow ants to multiply its strength and succeed in moving the grasshopper—despite the insect's weight and size, and any obstacles along the way. If an ant can understand that there is strength in unity, why can’t we? Think of yourself as an ant and think of your personal and professional goals as the grasshopper.
Or better yet! Imagine you are someone who needs to build a barn (goals) and you need your neighbors help to get it done (your colleagues). That “barn” can take different forms for each person or company... tell me, what kind of barn do you want to build?
Original article by Mark Amell
Thinking about self-love and identity
Look at yourself in the mirror every day and say positive things about yourself... Even if you don't believe them, even if it feels silly or pointless, even on days when you want to smash that mirror... There will come a time when you start to truly believe the things you tell yourself.
People are beautiful. Do you know why? Because everyone is unique; we are so alike yet so different, and that is what makes us beautiful. They say everyone has a place in the world... Who will fill yours if you try to be someone else? I won't lie... it can be very hard to see, but the truth is that every single trait of yours makes you unique, and that alone makes you beautiful.
Even if some people seem perfect to you, the truth is that perfection doesn't exist... Don't strive for perfection, because you're only fooling yourself. Is there something about yourself you want to change? (Whether it's physical or a personality trait) FINE—change it... But take a moment to reflect and make sure that change is something YOU truly want, not something you're doing because of pressure from others.
Poetry about the heart
Heart... Oh, how you’re being treated, heart!
You’ve been hurt—so deeply.
You gave yourself fully for the first time—with every ounce of your being, with all the strength you had to love; you surrendered yourself to someone completely like never before.
You didn't think twice before rushing eagerly into their arms, obeying nothing but your own impulses and desires, longing for the story you would write together. You felt passion overflowing from within you.
Heart... Oh, how you’re being treated, heart!
How could you have imagined it?
They’ve toyed with you; they’ve pierced you with a thousand thorns.
You gave yourself hoping for love in return, but instead, they started treating you like a ball—look at that! They can do all sorts of tricks with you! They kick you, bounce you here and there, slam you against the ground, and leave you outside when it starts to rain.
In the blink of an eye, you’ve become nothing more than a toy. But toys always end up breaking, and you are falling to pieces.
What do you do about it? You patch your battered skin with adhesive tape—though you won't admit it, it offers only a false sense of repair, a temporary relief... And instead of walking away before you’re completely shattered, you downplay it all and stay right where they’ll keep playing games with you.
Heart... Oh, how you’re being treated, heart!
There is no hope for you; no one loves you.
The person you gave yourself to doesn't love you, because they treat you like rubber when you are made of glass.
The person who handed you over—your true owner—doesn't love you either; they simply watch in silence as you are harmed, and even though they know you’re being hurt, they do nothing to stop it.