“There will always be someone, somewhere who was happy you were born.” ~ Quote from the Movie “See You on Venus”

Today, I turned 53.

I am staring at a blank page before me as I open up this next chapter on my journey.

Birthdays have become quite overwhelming for me in the last 10 years. Age has never really factored in, though.

In the days leading up to my birthday, I always give myself permission to sit with my sadness, to reflect, and to try and process the deeper meaning behind my emotions.

I remind myself that it’s okay to feel these emotions. Being aware of my emotions allows me to approach them with self-compassion and vulnerability.

The best way I knew how to celebrate “ME” today was to put a plan in place ahead of time in order to help lessen the intensity of my sadness and anxiety.

I knew that connecting with nature, hiking, and chasing waterfalls would never disappoint. And I was right. Even getting rained on during the second leg of our hike only made our adventure that much more AWEsome. The sound of the raindrops and the fresh scent of rain felt really soothing. And it was a great way to cool off, too!

I wasn’t gonna let anyone or anything rain on my parade today.

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