There’s been grief and worry coursing through my family. Big grief. Big worry. The kind that doesn’t disappear when the morning comes. The kind that makes a room go quiet when you finally choose to share. The kind that feels like you’re constantly wearing your heart outside of your chest. The kind that if you’re not careful, you worry it might swallow you whole. But it’s also the kind that makes you stop. And think. Think about every sweet thing that’s ever happened to you. Think about every single lucky star you’ve been gifted on this earth. Think about every simple moment in time that you accidentally took for granted - a mistake you may never make again. It can be crippling, but it can also be motivating. Joy does not exist in this world without suffering. I’ve been an empath my whole life so I’ve always understood that from early on, before I ever had a chance to experience any suffering of my own. I wish more than anything in this world that I could lift the suffering off the shoulders of the people that I love most in this world and hold it all for myself. But life doesn’t work like that. I wish I could prove to everyone that is ever in doubt that life is worth living - even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. But life just doesn’t work like that. To anyone who has ever shown myself or any member of my family kindness, thank you. To anyone who has ever shown a stranger kindness, thank you. To anyone who has ever shown kindness to someone that they thought was not deserving, but chose to show it to them anyways... extra thank you. You may never know in a million years what silent battle someone might be carrying around with them. There is a link in my bio for a gofundme page for a celebration of life for someone who left us far far too soon... 🦋