Tongue of Fire

Breathe. Burn. Build.

the Byrne Alive Blog

A thin white veil lies crumpled on dry, cracked earth scattered with roots and twigs, symbolizing the collapse of illusion and the exposure of harsh reality.

The Fallen Veil

When white denial slips, the truth burns through. This essay is a reflection on racism, silence, and the cost of looking away. The veil has fallen. What once softened the truth now lies in the dirt. When I became an educator, I caught my first glimpses behind the veil that white America has long employed to pretend we were living in a post-racist world. Until then, I could, if I chose, dismiss echoes of hate as jokes, misunderstandings, or euphemisms. Racial violence didn’t h

Resistance

Meridith Byrne

2 days ago2 min read

3D forest diagram titled Community Mindsets. The X-axis shows Gratitude versus Entitlement, and the Y-axis shows Empathy versus Judgement. Four trees illustrate the quadrants: A – Gratitude + Empathy, “We thrive together,” a healthy radiant tree. B – Gratitude + Judgement, “I’m blessed,” a strong but self-focused tree. C – Entitlement + Empathy, “We deserve this,” a smaller in-group tree. D – Entitlement + Judgement, “I’m better,” a dark, stunted tree. The image represents how gratitude and empathy sustain communities, while entitlement and judgement erode them.

#We Can Thrive

Hard work matters, but it’s not the whole story. Some fields flood, some forests burn—and still we judge the ones left in shadow. #We Can Thrive challenges the myth of moral merit and asks: what if thriving was something we protected for everyone?

Resistance

Meridith Byrne

4 days ago4 min read

A handmade cardboard protest sign lies on a patch of green grass. In bold, painted letters it reads: “HOPE IS AN ACT OF DEFIANCE.” The background is soft and natural, evoking calm strength and quiet resistance.

Grace & Ground: Americans are Not Each Other's Enemies

We don’t all wake up at once, and we don’t all resist the same way. This post holds space for hurt, accountability, and growth—reminding us that grace and strength aren’t opposites. Healing takes time, and resistance can be quiet. But the work matters. And the real enemies? They’re higher up than we’ve been taught to look.

Meridith Byrne

Jul 144 min read