Paradise (re)Discovered

Welcome notes, reflections, and living into what calls you.

Dr. Mark A. Arcuri on stone steps in Querétaro, México, for the essay What does ahorita mean, and what it teaches about waiting

What ahorita means, and what it taught me about waiting

When I moved to Querétaro I learned ahorita before I understood most of the grammar around it. What does ahorita mean? The word looks like ...
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A laptop showing a network diagram sits on a stone ledge above Querétaro at sunset, beside the title "The neutral zone of a transition."

The neutral zone of a transition

Every transition has a middle, and the middle has a name. William Bridges called it the neutral zone, the stretch where the old arrangement has ...
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Where home is: a New York City sunset skyline with a 2026 World Cup bracket, a México-USA-Canada ball, coffee, concha, and A Life Aligned by a Querétaro tile.

Where home is, and what a hard return north taught me

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The Peña de Bernal monolith rising over the Querétaro valley in warm evening light.

The summer solstice and the door we open

The summer solstice gives its fullest light on the day it begins to turn. A reflection on Bernal, Tijuana's welcome, and the doors we choose ...
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Family in Mexico jerseys walking across a rain-soaked plaza in Querétaro at sunset, with the illuminated cathedral, dramatic clouds, and reflections stretching across the wet stone streets.

The long middle

The long middle Every real change has a long middle, and it is the part we are least ready for. México opened the World Cup ...
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Featured image for the essay “What It Means to Belong.” At sunset in Mexico City, Estadio Azteca and a Pride celebration appear side by side, connected by crowds carrying Mexican and rainbow flags. In the foreground, a leather journal, fountain pen, espresso cup, and folded Pride flag rest on a wooden table, symbolizing reflection, identity, hospitality, and belonging. The image explores the shared themes of the 2026 World Cup, Pride Month, authenticity, and finding a home where one is welcomed fully as oneself.

What It Means to Belong

This Thursday, México opens the World Cup and holds its doors open to the world, while June fills the streets with a second kind of ...
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