If you thought it was a nod to Cam & Mase's It Is What It Is show,

you're not wrong—but this pause cuts deeper,

a blade refined against the grindstone of anger,

a reckoning that asks us to decide who we are

before the storm engulfs us whole.

Countless times each day, we sit—unstable—

on the ledge of our emotions.

The world presses in, whispering threats

into the ears of those who carry too much already.

Watch how rage molds itself to each of us:

Bashir paces relentless—

a caged falcon in borrowed space,

wings clipped by protocol and pretense,

eyes darting wildly, seeking sky.

KyKy locks her jaw on occasion,

as if she could crush centuries of pain between her molars.

TRED—unmovable as a statue.

His hands grip leather armrests like they might save him.

His temple pulses with contained thunder,

his hip flexor dances beneath skin—waves before a storm.

We are flawed, each of us—

nerves buzzing like the finest untuned strings,

hearts pounding with the primal urge to react.

But then comes the choice.

In the midst of disorder, I close my eyes,

letting darkness ensnare the world for a moment.

Behind these lids, there is no storm—

only terrain marked by breath.

One inhale, a chisel. One exhale, a brushstroke.

Deep breathing reshapes the disorder.

As the world quiets, perspective sharpens.

In solitude, wisdom stands at the threshold,

waiting to be invited in.

And so, I choose.

I let the pause carry me forward,

altering fury into focus.

The pause is no retreat.

It is a reckoning.

It is the moment we decide

how to wield the dual-edged blade of anger and peace.

We pause not to flee,

but to ready ourselves—

to strike when the moment demands it.