Before I Unpack the Stories…

“Travel brings power and love back into your life.”
"السفر يعيد القوة والحب إلى حياتك."
— Rumi (جلال الدين الرومي)

Our clothes are unpacked, the laundry’s folded, and I’ve returned to a more familiar time zone. But there’s still a kind of beautiful chaos all around me.

I loved this public art installation at the Rove in downtown Dubai. It took me a while to figure out what exactly it was. Like all good art, that’s the point.

Stacked on the table: boarding passes, conference brochures, business cards, souvenirs for friends and family. Inside my crossbody bag, grains of desert sand are still clinging to the seams. A tiny salt shaker from an Emirates dinner tray somehow made it home with me, too—because of course it did.

The trip was unforgettable. And starting tomorrow, I’ll be sharing a three-part series of reflections from my time in the United Arab Emirates—stories that mean a great deal to me, professionally, personally, and artistically. I can’t wait to share them with you, one per day.

"Every moment of light and dark is a miracle." - Walt Whitman

But before I start unpacking those stories…

I wonder—
What would you be curious to ask someone who just returned from the UAE?
Have you ever traveled somewhere that changed how you see the world?
Or is there a place you dream of seeing someday?

In all honesty, very few of you ever comment—and that’s okay. Truly.
But if something here resonates, or if you just want to say hello, feel free to send me an email.

Sometimes it's just nice to know you’re out there, reading.

Until tomorrow,
Todd