This time, I didn’t even realize I was off the path.
There was no moment of “where am I?”
Just… a soft turn. A narrow stair I don’t remember choosing. A wall of hanging fabrics that made the air feel different.
It wasn’t scary. It wasn’t magical. It just was.
And when I stood still long enough, the alley seemed to breathe. The lights above blinked twice. And somewhere in the distance, a bell rang — not loudly, but like it remembered me.
I don’t think every place is meant to be found. I think some places wait until you’re quiet enough to see them.
And maybe this was one of those places. Or maybe I was just one of those people — the kind who needs to get lost often, in order to return gently.
If you’ve ever turned a corner and felt like something small inside you just… smiled — Maybe that’s what coming home really feels like.
Even if you don’t know the name of the street.