I sit here allowing the sun to rise
on another glorious day,
because I choose for it to be so.

Glorious.
Divine.
Delicious.

I could look upon this day
with sad eyes,
a lonely heart,
a troubled mind—
believing I am alone.

But I don’t
And here’s why:

Today is a holiday.

But for me every day is a holiday,
not simply those dictated by law, custom,
tradition,
or religion.

When you see each day as a
gift,
something inside you
shifts.

Mathew McConaughey said it recently, while interviewed on The Rachel Hollis Podcast:

“We were reminded early on not to take the sun rising this morning for granted. That was a gift, you better damn well be thankful for it.”

Imagine if you never took another 24-hour
trip around the sun,
dreamtime-spin with the stars
as a given,
but, as a blessing.

What would change with that one little shift?

For me,
each day is a choice to embrace wholeheartedly
or to bury myself under a mound of patchwork quilts.

And I’ve done both.

Don’t think I haven’t sunk
down,
down,
so far
down;
I’ve felt the drowning.

I’ve been so
low,
so cloaked in
sadness
that the tiles
beneath my sobbing breaths
ceased to feel
cold.

So chilled to the bone
that getting up,
taking one step
was my Mount Everest.

Yet, climb out of that despair I did,
And if one can do it
that’s proof positive you can
as well.

If you are stuck in the proverbial deep, dark well of you,
this right here is a knotted-word-rope
out of your darkness,
into the sunshine of you.

These words can be your lifeline.
Your place to crawl to.
For I cannot crawl for you.

I cannot lift you out,
but my words can raise you high.

If you embrace them.
If you listen to hear them.
If you desire a new yellow brick road to you.

It’s possible to find joy today.
Any day.
In a crowded room
filled with those you love to hate.

Or solo on your sofa,
hot mug of somethang-somethang in hand.

I hug, each day,
a long-lost friend.
Precious.
Precarious.
As though it’s my last.

Because I choose to.

On this day, I will stop and give thanks,
yet, I do this each and every day.

And when I want to try on my superpower
I find grace and gratitude and joy within.

Today is a holiday
and I am alone––
physically.

But, emotionally my cup runneth over.
Because I love myself.

Because the negative Nelly in my mind
is tied tight with purple ribbons
not allowed out
to distract play
with me.

That critical voice
silenced by my wicked smile.
My knowing that I am enough.

When you lean into that right there,
You know you are not alone,
even if no one is near.

Imagine if on this day,
every day,
you made friends
with your lone self.

Imagine if on this day,
every day,
you spoke to yourself
with compassion,
kindness,
and joy.

To be alone is only lonely if you say it is.

To be alone is a gift that bears the greatest of harvests,
when you can stand your own self.
When you can love every inch of you—
inside and out.

When you can embrace the silence
as a delicious offering
that can bring you
peace, ease,
even understanding,
of just how special you are.

For you are, or you would not be here.

You are not a mistake.
This day is not an error.
You, alone, or feeling alone
is just as it should be.
Must be.
Need be.

When you see that,
When you stop pushing on the pull door of life
and sink in,
all will shift for you.

You can hang
your holiday decorations
on the idea tree of
“I am so alone”
and spiral down.

So
far
down.

Or you can light
a new candle
to illuminate
a version of you
perhaps you were afraid
to unwrap…
’till now.

Glorious
Victorious
Amazing is you.

I see you.

Packaged so perfectly-imperfect.
Stop hiding.
Stop swimming in despair.

Are you ready to get to know the gift of you?

Because only when you take a beat,
a pause,
a space,
a moment.
Today, perhaps.

Lean into that knowing—
fully,
deeply,
truly—
that you are a precious gem,

One of a kind.
Divine.

Sink into that
on this day,
any day.

For truly,
you are never alone
when you are your own best friend.

Join me for JOYnotes,
a Wednesday words series,
from me to you.

Words, a message, a dance of my alphabet,
penned in purple ink,
to support you,
uplift you,
shine the brightest of lights upon you,
and remind you that you are never alone.

On this day, nor any other day.

If this message captured your heart,
consider giving it a heart to support these words.
Words that you could share with another person right now and make viral.

Leave me a comment if you do, sunshine,
as I want to thank you for being you.

~