The stillness at midnight that settles around you in the artificial oasis between lengthy stretches of road is sometimes the best part of a road trip. There is shelter from the unknown in the low hum of the pool of unnatural lights driving back the inky darkness. Yet this is only temporary—the possibilities of past, present, and future stretch as far as the wild landscape surrounding you and, eventually, you will have to explore them again.

I am fascinated by the liminal— those fleeting moments of transition that shape our identities and experiences. Identity is always in flux, never a fixed point with clear answers. Sometimes, the experiences that shape our identity are volatile, filled with grief for what could have been or the threat of what’s to come. Other times, transition simply means a reprieve. One to rest, reflect, and regather strength to face a world that perceives your very existence as political. Midnight Oasis traverses these thresholds. It is a reflection on the progress I’ve made in my own journey and the importance of finding a safe place, the power in finding identity, and the strength found in forging new connections with both my chosen and newfound family. In a world that often prioritizes the extraordinary, I invite you to celebrate the magic found within the everyday, to seek belonging, and to find beauty in the journey.