About me

Hi, I’m Ric.

Life, in all its beauty and complexity, has always fascinated me. I’m deeply curious about the human experience—what it means to live deliberately, even for just a brief moment, on a tiny planet orbiting a giant star in an unimaginably vast universe.

My story began when my young parents packed their lives into a few old suitcases and carried me from Portugal to South Africa in search of a better future. Though they found a different life, they never quite found a sense of home. I grew up between cultures—curious, imaginative, and often out of sync with my surroundings. I spent much of my time lost in books, games, and quiet reflection, searching for belonging in ideas and inner worlds.

Over time, I’ve come to believe that even our most difficult experiences can be teachers—if we’re willing to listen. My early solitude became a space for deep thinking, and eventually, self-acceptance. I began to see that we don’t need to fit perfectly into the world around us to live meaningfully within it.

Two ideas now guide me. First, that belonging isn’t found in geography—it’s found in connection, humility, and how we show up in the world. And second, that while I can’t control much in life, I can always choose how I think, speak, and act. Life will always hold uncertainty, but resisting it never brings peace. Instead, I try to meet each moment with presence and curiosity, learning to balance the drive to grow with the need to be still.

This blog is where I explore that balance—what I call the art of stillness in becoming. It’s an ongoing journey of self-mastery, not through force, but through intention. My mission is to live thoughtfully, grow purposefully, and share reflections that help others do the same.

Thanks for being here.

—Ric