There were also small triumphs that announced themselves without trumpets: a neighbor left a loaf of bread on Eng’s doorstep after a long winter of shared favors; a hesitant public talk drew a crowd that stayed to speak afterward; a single seed planted in a concrete patch produced a stubborn green shoot that refused to be ignored. These moments compounded into momentum. They were proof that living honestly, uncensored, and with care could coax the world into quiet reciprocity.