Toucan

It’s a very hard thing to say goodbye. It’s a farewell to the present, an ending to what was once a wonderful thing. A chapter closes, and it’s very hard to know when the next hello happens.

I’ve just returned from a memorial of a friend, and it was such a beautiful event - it was in a place that he loved filled with people that were meaningful to him - it was the kind of event he would’ve loved to attend honestly. I have to believe he was there, laughing and crying with all of us, reminiscing on all of the times we have spent together.

Death is so final, so black and white - there is no getting around it or avoiding it. But in a way, life is like that too. We don’t know how long we have to live, so it is best to live in the moment. Take in what is going on around you, check in with your family & your friends, see what is going on with them. The future is a mystery and the past is what informs us of the here and now, the present. The present is where we should try to stay, letting these moments of our lives sink in because they are SO MEANINGFUL. Even if you think what you are doing or saying does not matter, it absolutely does. To the people around you, what you say is important, what you think is important, what you do is important. Never forget that the impact you make on this earth has a ripple effect. You touch more lives than you even realize by simply existing and being your true self.

Hug the people that you love today. Tell them how important they are to you. Hug yourself and know that you have profound value and a true calling in this world. Know that you are an important piece of your community and never forget that we are all connected as a people on this planet. You are a link in the chain and without you, that chain is broken. If you are struggling, please know there is a hand to hold yours if you only just ask. Please know you are loved always.