For my birthday, I thought I’d make one of those insightful carousels of lessons I’ve learned this year, but quite frankly..I ran out of energy. 🫠 And I’m not going to fight it. (Like the wind in these photos.) This year has been a humbling lesson in my own non-invincibility, learning to sit with the unknown, and finding ways to advocate for myself and my child. I struggle with wanting to do everything and wanting to do nothing at all. I want to be left alone but also I want to be surrounded by loved ones. I’m learning what to let go of and what to hold onto. What serves me and what doesn’t. And to be honest, I think I’m getting there, but it is (for lack of a better phrase) a constant work in progress—pruning, editing, fine-tuning, giving up sometimes, or pushing just a little harder. “How are you?” people who I haven’t talked to in awhile asked, as they sent me birthday wishes I was so touched to receive. I love that birthdays are a chance to re-connect, even if it’s just a short while. Do they want the short version or long version? The glossed version or the nitty gritty? But alas, I think I actually don’t have the energy to deep dive myself. Truthfully, I’m good most of the time. And also there are aches deep down that reflecting on this past year sometimes resurfaces. What I do know is that everyone struggles with something and that people need to know they’re not alone. So for me, I hope that I can keep working to build community and help those who need help climb out of darkness. I hope I can keep showing up for my child and let her know that she can always lean on me for anything. I want to keep breaking those cycles and rewriting the story in a way I think she deserves. I’ll continue to pour love into her, my marriage, my community I’m building around us. Because in the grand scheme of things, we are but a blip in the universe. So why not make it sweet and kind and full of love? And I guess what started as a desire to reflect on the past year has really turned into a resolve to look forward for the glimmers, amidst all the hard things. Thank you for your light if you’ve crossed paths with me during this last year. 🥹❤️🙏🏼✨