Poppy on a Kite

It’s a glorious day to be alive. My next door neighbor just mowed their lawn and the smell of cut grass is permeating through my open windows. I can feel a soft breeze brush against my face as I sip my morning coffee. It’s a little brisk for my warm, nomadic genes, but I’ll take what I can get. Especially today.

Life’s been a bit of roller coaster the past few weeks. I keep getting waves of bad news. The kind of news no one ever really wants to hear, but inevitably we all deal with. Loss, in its many forms.

As I took some time to really consider loss, I was overwhelmed. Every day, someone out there is losing something, whether it’s as life-altering and impacting as a loved one, or as trivial as a pair of keys. And in that moment, we can’t help but revel in our misfortune wondering why the universe picked us. Why we’re the ones who are dealing with this. It’s the human condition to assume we’re the only ones sometimes. Alone in our pain. But take a moment to consider the world and its many beings, and know you are not alone in experiencing loss, pain, anger, hurt, suffering, depression, loneliness … or joy, happiness, ecstasy, fulfillment, freedom, gratitude, for that matter.

I don’t know why I was compelled to write about my feelings today, but I am. I’m just not in the mood to write about my current weight goals even though that’s the only positive loss I can think of. You know why? Because in the grand scheme of life, who cares if my Badonk fits into size 20 jeans? There are much bigger (yes, bigger) things to be focusing on in life; like kisses from my son, laughter, connecting with loved ones, the way the sun feels on my skin, being immersed in warm water … things that make me feel alive.

So today, I’m going to try and do just that. Feel alive. And I encourage you to do the same.

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