You will cherish this too, one day.

I've been looking back on a lot of photos, videos and memories since my husband's passing in 2023. Something really profound hit me recently and I wonder if you have ever thought about this too.

When I think about what have been my favorite points during my adult life, I would not have thought they would be my favorite at the time I was experiencing them.

Is that true for you?

One of those time periods for me is 2020-2021. Our daughter was 6 & 7 years old. We were 3 peas in a pod- taking fun mountain adventures, enjoying our big lush garden and making fun messes in the kitchen with our all our homesteading projects. Our photos are brimming with joy and connection.

During this time, I also remember the stress my husband and I felt over the pandemic, the sudden lull in his work, the drop in our income and all the perpetual uncertainty from week to week. On top of all that, we were recovering from a miscarriage as well as a bad investment that costed us 50K. That time period was a mixed bag of ALL of it- joy, love, stress, anxiety, beauty, purpose, pain, happiness and grief.

When I look back at most of my adult life and all it's many chapters, it's been this way all along -the variety pack, the sampler, the mixed bag of ALLLLLLLLLL of it. I'm not sure I can pinpoint a time when it wasn't like that.

...which brings me to the really profound part.

Even though there is grief in my heart right now, uncertainty in our future and countless things to feel stress over...

what if this chapter right now could be one of my favorites when I look back on it?

Could this chapter be one you look back on as one of your favorites...even if it doesn't seem like it in this moment?

Joy, purpose, love, beauty and happiness are not dependent on the absence of grief, pain, anxiety and stress.

—> My daughter will never be this age and stage again.

—> I will never be this age and stage again.

—> My parents will never be as young as they are today.

The constellation of our life as it is will never be quite like this.

Even with all the stress, grief and anxiety I feel day-to-day, this era is precious and fleeting too. I get to be here, in this amazing strong and capable body I have, for now.

And what a gift that is.

And what a gift that is.

Be here now for this, the wise old voice inside tells me.

And while you're at it, shoot some pictures and video of it. You will cherish this one day too, looking back.