I had so many wonderful comments and messages on my Instagram reel today that I don’t even really know how to respond… I am speechless-ish.
I am sharing this on substack too because I want to make sure everyone sees it… but this will be the only overlap
Last Thursday when I returned home from running errands and hitting the markets, as an experiment, I randomly just set my tripod out with my phone on it and recorded myself carrying groceries into the house and then set (the tripod) on the kitchen counter and recorded myself putting the groceries away. I had hoped to use it maybe as an extension of my outfit post, but when I heard the audio about healing, I knew that was exactly the direction it needed to go in.
I am certainly on quite an emotionally adventurous healing journey and have been on it for some time now. It started when I moved into the townhouse in October of 2022, but I thought it would be a much easier and much quicker journey than it turned out to be. It felt like for every step I took forward, I took ten MILLION steps back and was always heading back to the starting line instead of the finish line. I am closer now, closer than I ever have been, but also, the closer I get, the more I realize how much healing I skipped right on over after my divorce nearly 7 years ago. And if I’m really being honest, I’m sure it goes wayyyyyyyy further back than that. But those are other post for another time.
So this morning, when I shared my reel, without caring that the back of my hair looked like a rat’s nest 😂, I didn’t really expect much of a response at all. I checked back in just under an hour and noticed the reel had been viewed more than I expected… and then, what felt like out of the woodwork, poured all the love and reassurance and support and encouraging words, which I also wasn’t expecting… and what’s more, stories from so many women, YOUR stories – via comments, messages, emails letting me know that my posts (past and even now) had helped get you through your own tough times and inspired and empowered and encouraged YOU to make positive changes that helped you in your life and it just had me all in my feels, tearing up and filling up at the same time with overwhelming emotions of… happiness and wonder, I guess. I honestly don’t know how else to express it in words.
I am forever in gratitude of and to YOU.
I feel like that episode of Friends where Phoebe tries to prove to Joey that there are selfless good deeds but then spends the entire episode not being able to find even one.
This is how I feel. Overwhelmed with joy and love for truly being able to impact others and help you get through your hard times just by sharing my own… while also thanking you SO MUCH for being here for me throughout all of my challenges now AND for all these years! ♥️
And to this I will say it again… I will shout it from the rooftops…
SHARE YOUR STORIES! SHARE YOUR ART! SHARE YOURSELF!
Share in whatever way helps you creatively express your innate humanness and proof of life lived on this planet! We are all in this together for a relatively short amount of time (when you think about it) and we can all help each other!
I know that at times we can’t always share all the stuff, for so many reasons beyond the vulnerability of sharing… life is hard, relationships are hard, families are hard, what we go through is hard… and life is also beautiful and amazing and incredible and we all have a story to tell.
Look at all the books that have been written over time! Those are just people sharing their stories, fiction or non… look at the music, the art, the movies and shows we watch! We want to feel… we want to be connected, we want to relate and experience all there is and we learn and heal and grow when we share and we connect… and then, maybe even by accident, we help each other.
I’m up on this mountain, in my sweats, on my couch with my dogs asleep next to me, typing vigorously on my laptop, listening to the wind and rain and having no idea really how I am impacting or helping anyone in the slightest, but truly, that is a goal… I want to help. I want to add value. I want to spread light and positivity and beauty and strength. I just don’t always know or see that I am accomplishing that goal… So, thank you, Lovecats, for reminding and encouraging me to continue on my journey and being there for me now and always 😘 ❤️ I love you and I encourage you on your journey as well.