Each one has, in one way or another, impacted me and my thinking, deepening my understanding of myself. I have been fortunate enough to work closely with people who are seen as belonging to the lower ranks on the societal ladder: the misfits, the losers, the outcast, the pariahs – the untouchables. These individuals have taught me invaluable lessons about resilience, authenticity, and the rawness of the human experience. They are part of me, as I am part of them.

I also recognize all the “normal” people that I have been among. The teachers, the poets, the musicians, the psychologists, the directors, the officers, the police officers, the wardens, the nurses, the doctors, the middle class of women and men in our society. These people are the grey masses, both part of the problem and the solution to every possible challenge we face as humankind. Their everyday struggles and triumphs have provided a backdrop against which the complexities of our shared existence are highlighted.

I acknowledge my family, both close and not so close, for all I received and for what I did not. You are all part of my story, whether you acknowledge it or not. The same can be said about my foes: my attackers, the backstabbers, the slanderers, the hidden grins, and the cloaked agendas. Each act of betrayal and deceit has sharpened my awareness and fortified my resolve. You are all part of my insight and my story.

So too are the victims and those who have felt hurt by me and my actions in life. These people whom my unconscious self, my undeveloped self, brushed up against, crashed into, and sometimes ran over. You have all felt the conflicting and destructive force of a lesser man, a man who did not know his boundaries or that there were boundaries he should have known about. I owe you all an apology and thanks for the lessons I have learned from my interactions with you. These interactions have been some of the harshest, yet most enlightening experiences on my path.

I would also like to acknowledge myself. Past, present, and future self, for whom I have done all this deep introspective work over the last 23 years. To my past self, I say this – I did not know better, and you had to pay the price for that. To my future self, I say – Now I know better, and I hope you will reap the fruits of that.

To my present self, I have only one thing to say – Keep going below, and you will, in the end, rise above. This journey of introspection and transformation is relentless, but it is the path to true inner enlightenment and wholeness. Lastly, I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who has crossed my path, knowingly or unknowingly contributing to my journey. To all my friends, the silent supporters, the anonymous influencers, the fleeting encounters that left a mark, and the myriad voices that have guided, challenged, healed and inspired me along the way – your presence has been invaluable. Thank you for being part of my story and the ongoing journey of TULWA Philosophy.