Gallian had always considered herself an observer of life, rather than an active participant. Her days revolved around a comfortable but quiet routine: her job at the local library, caring for her aging cat, and evenings spent lost in books or mundane tasks. She yearned for something more, a spark, a deeper connection, but a pervasive shyness and a fear of stepping outside her comfort zone kept her trapped in a familiar, albeit unfulfilling, orbit. Her life felt less like a grand adventure and more like a well-worn path. One ordinary Tuesday, as she shelved books in the quiet hum of the library, a profound realization dawned upon her. It wasn't a dramatic epiphany, but a gentle knowing, like the turning of a page. She remembered an old saying, a whisper of a poem: "In the silence before time / She made her decision / The decision was TO BE". The words resonated deeply. Had she, in her quiet hesitations and polite declines, unconsciously chosen this limited existence? The thought was both unsettling and incredibly empowering. If she had chosen to be small, she could just as powerfully choose to be grand. That quiet inner "yes" was the first ripple. The next day, when a flyer appeared on the library's community board, calling for volunteers to revitalize the neglected neighborhood park, Gallian felt the familiar pang of anxiety. Her first instinct was to walk past, but this time, the new, unwavering whisper countered: "TO BE". She signed up. That single "yes" became the beginning of her "dance / With the cosmos". The work was simple: pulling weeds, planting flowers, painting benches. But the act of doing, of contributing, of getting her hands dirty alongside strangers, slowly chipped away at her self-imposed shell. She learned to laugh, truly laugh, with the other volunteers, sharing stories and sweat. "Saying yes to life / Was the essence / Of her existence". Her days, once marked by quiet obligation, now hummed with purpose and genuine connection. She found joy in the vibrant colors of the new flowerbeds, a reflection of the hues blooming within her own spirit. One sunny afternoon, as the park blossomed with new life, Gallian looked at the vibrant space, now a hub of community activity. Beside her, a cheerful older woman named Mrs. Henderson, a fellow volunteer, patted her arm. "You know, Gallian," she said, her eyes twinkling, "you've brought so much light to this park, and to all of us." A warmth spread through Gallian's chest, a feeling more profound than any she had known. "Now," she thought, looking at the laughing children on the new swings, at the vibrant flowers, at the faces of friends she had made, "Every possibility begins / With the decision TO BE". Her journey wasn't about grand achievements but about the quiet courage to open her heart to life. Her transformation rippled outward: she started a book club at the library, inspiring others to connect; she spoke up for the needs of local families, finding her voice in advocacy. And in the simple, beautiful rhythm of her newly vibrant life, sharing homemade cookies with Mrs. Henderson on a park bench, Gallian understood the final lines of the poem in a way she never had before. "And / The love of life / Is the priceless gift / She brings to me". Her decision to embrace life, to say "yes" to the world in all its ordinary glory, had not only blossomed her own inner "universe" but had, in its quiet unfolding, brought a priceless gift of connection and joy to her own life, and to those around her.