After Hiatus....

Hi, friends.

It’s been a long while since I’ve posted. I had to step away for my own mental health. Sometimes that’s necessary. Don’t ever apologize for doing what’s best for your health, be it mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual. Always take care of you first. After all, you cannot pour from an empty vessel so reach out for those things that fill you up. Seek out those people who feel like sunshine to you. If something feels like too much of a burden, then just let it go. Life is too short to spend it in misery.

So many things have happened in our nation recently. We are still in the throes of Covid-19 and now there’s something called monkeypox that’s starting to spread. Women’s reproductive rights are in jeopardy. The midterm elections are upon us and there was a tragic mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas. So many prayers are going up for those families who lost loved ones as well as those of us who are now living in fear. It seems that these events just keep on happening and there’s nothing we can do about it. How in the world can we continue living our best lives when we have to fear not making it home on any given day? How do we find joy in this day and age?

Well...let’s not forget that there are elected officials on the local, state, and national levels who we can contact about gun control legislation, reproductive rights, and any other concerns that we may be having. If each one of us is willing to take a stand, participate in a protest march, make a phone call, write a letter, etc. then collectively we can make a difference.

Also, we should never forget that God is still on the throne. Our prayers do not fall on deaf ears. That is one way to gain peace…prayer and meditation.

Another source of joy can be our community. It’s healthy to have a circle of friends (large or small) who are like minded and love you unconditionally. Reach out to them. Talk, sing, laugh, cry, scream, hike, meditate but do it together. There’s strength in knowing you're not alone by not being alone.

There is still beauty in the world, even if you have to create it for yourself. It's a choice you have to make daily. Be the change you want to see!

Stay joyful, my friends!