Sometimes I give myself permission to just… be.
No smiles. No sparkle. To breathe deeply through the good moments and the bad. To love hard because that’s all this life is about. To fiercely protect my family from the fools of this world and my own inner child, as well, because we all need a warrior, and baby, I’m up to the task.
2017 wasn’t easy, but I’m grateful for the growth it brought me. I can start to see the light that permeated even the mundane moments we shared when my Rasheed was by my side. If I’m honest, God allowed my heart & my spirit to break more times than I thought I could survive in these last 21 months, but He’s also taking the time to rebuild me.
From removing a dead raccoon from my backyard with my little brother on one adventurous morning to working on my conceal & carry permit, I’ve done more than I imagined or thought possible this year. Some of the dreams God has placed in my heart might scare or confuse me, but I take them in bite size pieces and am getting there one step at a time.
Grieving souls shouldn’t be shamed. Grief is the price we pay for Love & is a natural part of life. This photo represents the visits that millions carry out on a regular basis. Today I gained strength from mine.
I enter 2018 with renewed focus, light, love and purpose. I plan to pursue ideas & pursuits I never would have entertained two years ago. I invite you to throw away the excuses, the fears & the petty bitterness. None of that will serve you well in this life. And if I can fight those feelings daily, you have NO excuse. I invite you to love yourself more than anyone here ever could, and demand the most because you deserve it. I see you. You deserve all the beauty this life has to offer.
Taking a lesson from my #DST line name —> Excerpt from Max Ehrman’s “Desiderata”:
“And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.”
2018, game on.
