Monthly Inspiration / February
Inspiration • March 6, 2025 • Written by Ashley Vemwell & Zachary Vemwell
February has a strange way of bending time. It is the shortest month, yet it often feels the longest—lingering in winter’s grasp, stretching out in a way that demands patience. It’s a month of waiting, of quiet work beneath the surface, of looking for warmth in places we may have overlooked.
This past month, we found inspiration in a question of purpose, a study of history’s repeating cycles, and a story that doesn’t shy away from its own brutality. Each offered something different—a shift in perspective, a lingering thought, or a simple moment of recognition.
A QUOTE
"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?"
Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot)
At first glance, this quote seems to offer a clear and universal truth that champions kindness and connection. But beneath its surface, there is an implicit challenge: What does it actually mean to make life less difficult for one another?
Is it through grand acts of sacrifice or in the smallest, most imperceptible gestures? Is it in removing obstacles or in teaching resilience? If ease were all that mattered, would we rob each other of necessary hardship—the kind that shapes character, forces transformation, and deepens understanding?
Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in the tension between support and struggle. To truly make life "less difficult" is not to erase suffering but to recognize it, hold space for it, remind each other that hardship is not meant to be endured alone, and help ease it when possible. There is something deeply human in that—something that perhaps makes the weight of existence feel a little more bearable.
A BOOK
To Fight Against This Age: On Fascism and Humanism by Rob Riemen
This collection of essays examines the reemergence of fascist ideology in modern society and the philosophical foundations of humanism as a counterpoint. Rob Riemen draws connections between historical patterns and contemporary politics, arguing that cultural decay, intellectual complacency, and fear often precede the rise of authoritarianism.
Rather than focusing on specific political events, this book explores broader themes of morality, culture, and the role of art in shaping societal values. It considers humanism not as a passive ideal but as an active force—one that requires engagement, reflection, and a certain amount of vigilance.
These essays move through history, philosophy, and literature, weaving together a perspective that suggests that the struggle between these two forces is ongoing, rather than a chapter neatly closed in history books.
While dense at times, this book presents its ideas in a way that invites consideration. It doesn’t offer direct prescriptions but instead asks the reader to think critically about the structures that shape the world around them.
A SERIES
The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang
Inspired by Chinese history, The Poppy War trilogy is a grim military fantasy that follows the rise of an orphaned girl who enters an elite military academy and eventually finds herself in the center of a brutal war. The series is known for its historical parallels, particularly to 20th-century China, and its unflinching portrayal of the horrors of conflict.
Rather than adhering to traditional fantasy tropes of heroism, the story leans into themes of power, vengeance, and the moral ambiguity of war.
The protagonist, Rin, does not fit into a conventional mold—her journey is one of survival, choice, and consequence, and the narrative does not offer easy moral resolutions.
The trilogy navigates a range of heavy themes, from colonialism to the cost of unchecked ambition. While it exists firmly within the fantasy genre, it draws much of its weight from historical reality, making it a series that blends mythology with stark realism.
