Author’s Note: To Whoever Needs to Hear This

By Steven Jordan

It began quietly—just me, trying to make sense of my own story. I never thought it was extraordinary. I was just another human—a little bruised, a little hopeful—learning how to live again. I wasn’t trying to write a guide. I was just tracing my way back to meaning.

But somewhere along the way, something shifted. I began to see what I’d missed for most of my life—that even the most ordinary story can carry something sacred if you tell it honestly.

I used to think my path was unremarkable—a childhood that required growing up too soon, a few heartbreaks that hurt more than they should have, and a long list of small reinventions. But writing this—and reading it back—made me cry. Not from sadness, but from recognition. Because I finally understood that my story isn’t just mine. It’s one thread in a much larger weave—one that might help someone else feel less alone.

If this book finds its way into the hands of someone standing at the edge—someone who’s lost faith, or can’t yet see the light through their own heartbreak—I hope it whispers this:

You are not broken. You are becoming.

The hardest chapters often carry the most light.

If Rise, or Aura, or any part of what I’ve shared helps even one person take a step toward something better—then every word, every tear, every leap will have been worth it. Because this isn’t really my story. It’s a reminder of what we all share—that no matter how dark the journey gets, the human spirit always finds its way back to the light.

— Steven Jordan