Happy 7 years, Izzy. It’s been another great trip spinning around the sun. How quickly do the months and years fly by these days. I’m sad to admit that in the flurry and mix of life, I’d almost forgotten this anniversary. Thankfully I have amazing people in my life to remind me, and to celebrate my victory over the hardest thing I’ve ever endured. 

I’ve been forgetting a lot of things lately. Birthdays, anniversaries, plans, names, memories, lyrics to songs. Whether it’s age, effects from all the chemo, genetics, or sleep deprivation, the loss of these details is something I’ve come to accept as a part of this life’s journey. Pair that with a slowing, achy body and I fully understand the meaning of the adage: Youth is wasted on the young.

Regardless, this past year has brought some of the happiest and most depressive moments of my life. I’ve met the man of my dreams and have been blessed to experience a love so pure and complete I never thought I’d believe in goodness again. My family has grown with my second nephew Ezra and my fur baby Slinky. I’ve made huge strides personally by living alone in SF (barely sustainable), preserving my energy and happiness even at the cost of losing relationships, and establishing and affirming healthier boundaries in all aspects of my life. 

But with the good comes the challenging, as everything in the universe is balanced. It’s been an incredibly emotionally, physically, and fiscally challenging year, where I feel I’ve been stumbling from one mishap or misstep to the next with no time to catch my breath. I know I’m not alone in these feelings as life is difficult for most people. I’ve been finding comfort, albeit to a small degree, in accepting that this too is a necessary part of this life’s journey. The chaos and unexpected turn of events sprinkled along this road to *somewhere* is what makes life interesting, right?

At any rate, I’m grateful for more time, more memories, more laughter, more hardship, more disappointments, more delicious meals, and more of the unknown. Thanks for being on this ride with me. I’m happy we’re here together.