I cried on a YMCA treadmill

I started The Stormlight Archive as my introduction to the Cosmere on Christmas Day, 2025.

Over the last six months, I’ve been through every emotion imaginable.

I took reading breaks. I went on reading sprints. I laughed, I cried, and I got frustrated.

I hated characters. I loved characters.

There were moments I couldn’t put the books down, and moments I needed to step away and process what I’d just read.

Then I reached Chapter 144 of Wind and Truth.

I’ll never forget it.

I’m at my local YMCA, doing an uphill backwards walk on the treadmill. And there stands a 6’1” grown man with a grin the size of the Joker’s plastered across his face while tears stream down his cheeks.

Not sad tears.

Pure, unfiltered tears of joy.

Six months after opening The Way of Kings for the first time, the journey came to that moment.

Journey before destination.