It was never just one thing or one person that helped, but all of everything combined that led me to identify the love I always had around me and within me. I won’t tell you that I am magically fixed and that I love myself unconditionally and never berate myself or decisions that don’t pan out. That would be untrue. But I will tell you that I have made progress in that realm. I am a stronger person because of the things that happened to me. I’ve learned that problems have propelled me forward while simultaneously communicating what isn’t working so I can explore and find solutions that do. 

Humans are not meant to remain static and certain things like loss attempt to nudge us forward. As strange and upsetting as it sounds, obstacles do not block the path, they are the path. They bring us one step closer to our dreams. The unknown can be a place where we discover our purpose and our joy, whether it be in a physical sense or an emotional one. Without these life quakes, as author Bruce Feiler calls them in his book Life is in theTransitions, we cannot be brought to our true potential. We would never know what we are capable of and we’d never know what our role is in this life. We can choose to stay stagnant and afraid, but then we would never fly.

Without the tragedies that I have gone through, I never would have started this blog. I never would have started a book based on the trauma and obstacles I have experienced. I never would have found the courage to try. The people I have in my life now would have never been brought to me. I’ve learned that I am not what I have been through. The past is not my identity. It was just my preparation.

Let this be a reminder to anyone also experiencing the complicated array of emotions associated with grief and loss. Everything you are feeling is natural and normal. I want you to know you are not alone. And as much as you may not believe me right now, with time, you will see how this transition in your life helped direct you to the path you are meant to be on.