19 Comments
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Puchi's avatar

I really really loved this! What a beautiful reflection! So many lessons learnt over the years and taught in just a post! Xx

Keep it up!

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iL.'s avatar

Thank youuuuu for sharing many of the lessons with me — so glad you liked it 🤍

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Nick Waghorn's avatar

Great piece Ilan! It's funny, I'm gonna turn 26 on Tuesday and, ironically, I'm heading away from rural obscurity to London for a couple days!

I think you’re spot on—physical aging and spiritual growth don’t always go hand in hand, even though it totally feels like they should. It took me far too long to realise that getting older doesn’t automatically mean getting wiser.

True growth happens when we actively expand our consciousness—and that requires deliberate effort. As you so perfectly said, "treat the world like it owes you a story." We have to venture into the belly of the beast every now and then to find the elixir. This applies to both creative pursuits and life itself.

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iL.'s avatar

Thanks, Nick, appreciate your comment and I hope you had a great birthday! Funny how our plans seemed to invert, hope London treated you nicely. I love what you said there, we do indeed have to venture into the belly of the beast, and it seems that doing so by choice holds much more pride than letting the beast find you after avoiding it. Thanks for sharing this

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Lloyd Harry-Davis's avatar

There are some gens in this, Ilan. Beautifully written as always. 3, 8, 13 and 19 were some of my favourites

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iL.'s avatar

thank you bro! appreciate it, the simplicity one really hit hard for me when I realised it. Keep reminding myself of it too

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Maria Sanz Esteve's avatar

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G !!!!!!!!!

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iL.'s avatar

thank you maria! 🙏🏼

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B Stings's avatar

Great points to ponder

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iL.'s avatar

thank you !

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Roberto Lampl's avatar

You are so wise, thanks for making me reflect on my own ‘growth’

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iL.'s avatar

wouldn’t have been possible without you… literally! 🙏🏼

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Roberto Lampl's avatar

I wouldn’t me without you either

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James Davidson's avatar

Loved this. Everything rings so true. It's been an honour to watch you grow upwards and bring others with you 🫡

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iL.'s avatar

my brother thank you! right back at you, been awesome to share the journey w you 🙏🏼

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Geraldine A. V. Hughes's avatar

Body - Body

Win - Win

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iL.'s avatar

🎯 exactly!

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Diana's avatar

Very impressive and wise, Ilan! I can't say the same about myself when I turned 27. Some of these life lessons I learned in the hard way but at the right time.

I still learn to walk on the bottom of the ocean...

By the way, I already like your girlfriend because she took you away from the city! I'm glad you had a wonderful time!😊

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iL.'s avatar

thank you, diana! I’ve learnt some of these the hard way too, but I’ve found those can sometimes turn into our strengths because they really stick. That’s so kind of you to say, I felt quite spoiled!

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