"A Journey Back to Passion"

From a young age, I knew I loved creating. But it wasn’t until I was 11 years old that I truly discovered my passion.

Every Thursday afternoon, we had woodwork class—two hours dedicated to working with our hands and bringing ideas to life. It was my favorite part of the week. No other class gave me the same sense of excitement or fulfillment.

Then, one Thursday, something caught my eye—a piece of leather lying in the corner of the workshop. It was unlike anything I had worked with before: beautiful yet robust, soft yet strong. Something about it fascinated me. I picked it up, and an idea sparked—I was going to make a simple wallet for my cards.

I poured everything into that project, feeling an excitement I had never experienced before. When I finally finished, I was proud. So proud that I carried that wallet every single day for the next 16 years (see picture below).

That day, I was hooked. I had unknowingly found my passion. But as life moved forward, responsibilities took over, and somehow, that passion was put on hold.

It wasn’t until December 2019—nearly 18 years later—that I finally decided to pick up where I left off. To work with my hands again. To create. It’s funny how life pulls you in different directions, but in the end, you always find your way back to what truly fulfills you.