The Good in Goodbye

Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day.

Unseen, unheard, but always near; still loved, still missed and very dear.

- Anonymous

As some of you may or may not know, my grandmother passed away last Wednesday, August 22nd at 4:31pm.  My way of coping with things has always been writing and this time is no different.  As I look back at what happened on Wednesday, I still cannot believe how everything transpired so quickly.

A few weeks ago, my grandma got double pneumonia.  She was hospitalized for about a week.  I was able to come home that weekend and was able to see her.  She looked weaker than I had last seen her and I knew her catching pneumonia definitely wasn't the best thing, especially at her old age of 97.  Unfortunately, the weekend ended and I had to make my way back to Chicago.  I visited my grandma right before I got back on the train.  My last words to her were "I love you" and her the same for me.  I will never forget that.

Last Tuesday night, my mother called me and warned me that the nursing home had called saying my grandma's breathing had become more rapid.  It caught me off guard, but not to the point where I was really worried, especially when I didn't get a call during the night or Wednesday morning from my mom.  I texted my mom once I was at work and asked how my grandma was doing.  She proceeded with a picture of her - the worst I have absolutely seen her.  I knew it was bad then.

My dad called within minutes, his voice cracking, advising me to come home.  I immediately started crying knowing it was only a matter of weeks for my grandma.  I left work and my sister grabbed the 1:35 Metra to Libertyville.  As we rode the train, we both talked about our upcoming weekends.  We really weren't aware how bad it was with my grandma.

My dad picked us up at the train station and drove us to Winchester House, where my grandma had been a resident for nearly 2 years.  We arrived at 3pm.  As I entered the private room the staff had placed my mom in, I saw my grandma with her eyes closed, struggling to breathe.  The sight broke my heart.  Tears began falling down my cheeks.

I despise crying in front of others, letting people see that I'm broken.  I've always tried to remain strong in times of death, heartache, and sadness.  I felt so weak seeing my grandmother, especially as she lay in bed so weak herself and struggling to survive.

My family was in the room with her as she began to take her last breaths of life, mustering the courage to be strong.  Watching my mother cry for her mother was one of the worst moments of my life.  As I closed the door to the room for more privacy, my grandmother took her last breath at 4:31pm.  My family cried together, but knew my grandma was no longer suffering and no longer having to live in a nursing home.  I was so happy for her but so sad she was gone within an hour and a half of me arriving at the nursing home.

I know deep down, my grandma waited for my sister and I to get to the nursing home so we could be with her in her last moments of life.  I feel so blessed my dad called me and urged me to come home.  I feel so blessed my team at work allowed me to leave work.  I feel so blessed I made it in time and got to say my goodbye.

You know how they always say there's never any good in goodbye?  I discovered the exact opposite of that on Wednesday.  As awful and hard it was to watch my grandmother die in my presence, we were able to say our goodbyes.  We were all around her when she died.  If I could put together a perfect death, that would be it.  I will thank God every day for giving us that opportunity.

Knowing she was my last grandparent in my life, it's been hard to swallow she's really gone.  She's the grandparent I was closest to and the grandparent who was able to see a lot more of my life than my other grandparents. She was such a lovely old woman and I will miss her dearly.

RIP 

Josephine Crivello

4.6.15 - 8.22.12

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. 

Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. 

And we are never, ever the same."

I remember reading the above quote in middle school and wondering what the hell it meant. No way did I believe that the friends I had at that time may not be my friends forever. As I've grown older, I've really come to know the meaning of this quote. The realization comes with age.  

My first realization was when I embarked on my journey to high school.  I went from a graduating 8th grade class of 56 to a whopping 1,000 in my class freshman year.  I told all my friends before high school started that we would stay in contact and that nothing would change.  Little did I know that was not the case. I saw them considerably less and after we all made new friends at our corresponding high schools, it got even harder to coordinate our schedules.

Throughout high school, I for the first time in my life learned the true meaning of heart break. But being the naive girl that I was, I thought we could be friends after the break up.  It took years to figure out that there was no way being friends was in the cards for us.  I closed that chapter of my life and said good-bye to a boy who had once been one of my best friends.

Then came college - an even bigger stepping stone in life.  Similarly to 8th grade, I thought I would manage to stay in contact with many of the people I had called friends all four years of high school.  It wasn't too difficult in the beginning; I was able to balance keeping in touch with my friends at other universities, while creating new friendships on my campus.  However, as time went by, it became obvious that maintaining many of my high school friendships was faltering.  I quickly realized within a few months that the ones that cared most about my friendship would meet me halfway.

Now being almost a year out of college, I am a little shocked at how many friends I feel like I've "lost" since graduating.  It's been consistently repeated to me throughout the years that those you meet in college are your friends for life.  Maybe so.  But I feel like whoever started that quote should have had a disclaimer: **Only SOME of those friends will be your friends for life.

I've learned especially over the past year that people just give up.  If you are both not meeting 100%, the friendship is going to sour.  We become preoccupied with our lives - our demanding jobs, our alone time with our significant other, making time for our new friends whether they be co-workers, neighbors, or randoms that you just met at the bar last Friday night.  Coming out of college, I had a list of friends I knew I wanted to speak to on a weekly basis to stay updated with each other's lives.  The system worked well for about 6 months...then I realized it was becoming too demanding on both ends.  It's just a bit of a punch in the stomach to think those friends you thought would be leaving "footprints" just come into your life for a short period of time and quickly go.  But to avoid any bitterness, I know that's life.

Many of my previous friends have only been in a few chapters of my life.  They were there for a period of time, but I still have memories I can look back on with happiness. But then I have those friends that have stuck around and truly left footprints on my heart.  Some of my oldest friends date back to when I was in kindergarten (and even before that) - and that's special.  With life comes a lot of realizations, but this has been one of the largest for me thus far.

With footprints,

Living Your Dreams.

I meant to write this post back in February when my friend Elle and I were discussing the meaning of life and how people go about choosing their own path. It became clear to the both of us that many of us choose to make excuses. Excuses to not take that big step in a relationship. Excuses to not leave that crappy job and search for a new one. Excuses to not change the life path they don't want to live.

I read a great quote the other day: "Why follow your dreams when you can live them?"

Following your dreams means having goals in mind, which I consider to be imperative in order to challenge yourself. However, sometimes we set these goals for ourselves in the hopes that they'll happen on their own, without even realizing how hard we have to work towards them. We constantly make excuses - "I'll run tomorrow," "He doesn't treat me well, but I'm afraid I won't find anyone else," "I don't like my job, but the pay is good," or "Ah well, it's only a small cookie..."

We make excuses because it's the easy way out. We sometimes let the typical day-to-day events overshadow what exactly we REALLY want to do or have. We sometimes just over-think what it is we actually want instead of having the "screw it" attitude and just going for it.

The past few months, I've been continually glancing at my so-called "bucket list." I would say all of the items on my list are easily attainable, if I just GO DO IT. After realizing I wasn't living my dreams, I've realized I'm going to start. I won't be able to live all my dreams at the same time, but I can certainly aim for them one-by-one.

With dreams,

Taking the Plunge.

Why are we so afraid of our feelings and how people may react to them? Why do we resort to other methods (ahem, liquid courage, anyone?) to reveal those true feelings? Why do we incessantly make things more complicated than they have to be? Or is that we keep our feelings to ourselves to avoid making things more complicated than they already are?

I saw a great quote the other day that I want to share with all of you:

Missing somebody? ...Call.
Want to meet up? ...Invite.
Want to be understood? ...Explain.
Have questions? ...Ask.
Don't like something? ...Say it.
Like something? ...State it.
Want something? ...Ask for it.
Love someone? ...Tell it.

This really got me thinking. When we have strong feelings, a think a logical thing to do sometimes is to keep those feelings to ourselves. But what does that really accomplish? I think it's because we have all subjected to our fears of rejection instead of taking a leap of faith. We're afraid of what the other person will say, afraid of the lingering rejection that could possibly come about, afraid of the realness of our emotions. So instead, we make things more complicated for ourselves.

Life is all about taking chances and taking the plunge. I give credit to those that have been able to dive in and explain their deepest feelings. But I think we (myself included) need to own up to those feelings and come clean. Take the chance and jump off that bridge of fear. Know that you may very well sink, but you will know you lived and loved. And maybe, just maybe, you'll keep swimming and make it to land into the arms of your loved one.

There's no point to keep wondering or hoping the moment will come. Do something about it so you don't waste your time - or your life. Take the plunge.

Our Deepest Passions.

When you hear the word passion, what's the first thing you think of?

Many may say love, sexual desire, or maybe just that it is a strong emotion. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with any of those answers, but if someone were to ask me this question, I would without a doubt answer "something you instill in your life and hope to continue doing in the future." I think individuals our age are aware of their day to day passions whether it is running, photography, music - whatever it may be. However, what I think a lot of us are really unsure about is our passion in the workplace. What do we all feel so passionate about that we can enjoy what we do everyday and still make a living of it?

As Millennials, as marketers refer to us, we strive for the unthinkable. We believe we deserve the unimaginable (and rightfully so). We are delaying the typical rites of passage (marriage, children, etc.) to search for our passions in life and ultimately, fulfill those passions. Some of us may have been lucky to find our passion in life. But even for those that have, I believe there's always something else we secretly wish we could be doing.

Speaking to a number of my friends that have graduated college and are currently residing in this thing we call the "Real World" and the complexities that surround it, we all seem to be a little lost in what it is we actually want to do or how we want to reach and accomplish our passions. So what gives? I don't know about any of you, but my parents have drilled into my head to work hard, save money, and prepare for the future. Maybe that's the responsible thing to do. But where's the PASSION in that? We're young. Yes, we have student loans, bills, responsibilities. But I think we all deserve a little passion in our lives.

Do something you've always wanted to do, even if it means being completely irresponsible. Find that job you love, even if it doesn't pay as much as you thought. Travel the world if you get the opportunity and cherish every memory. Help others who are in need, even if you don't have all the free time in the world. And most of all, find your passion. If it does not lie on your planned life path, so what. We need to appreciate our youth and take every opportunity that comes our way as we discover our passions, even if it means disappointing people, having less cash than planned, or working a little harder to get there. Find your passion - for you.

I know I'm on my way there.

With passion,

Double-edged Sword.

I was talking to a vendor at my job the other day when he mentioned to take a look at AT&T's 1993 advertisement "You Will." As soon as we stopped talking, I went back to my desk and completely immersed myself back in my work.

It wasn't until I was on the train that I realized I hadn't looked at the ad yet. I excitedly went to YouTube on my phone and watched as series of events in the advertisement mimicked much of what has happened the (almost) 2 decades.

Take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZb0avfQme8

It's remarkable just how much AT&T predicted back then. I look back at those advertisements and realize how far technology has really come. If we're halfway across the world from our loved ones, we can jump on Skype and see them within seconds. If we're lost, we can simply look up our location on a map on our phones. If a natural disaster happens, we can search for the information ourselves, rather than waiting for the broadcast news to tell us.

All these conveniences make our lives seamlessly easier and integrated. I think it's something we often take for granted. This technology is unheard of in some countries, yet it is at our fingertips every minute of every day. Although I am thankful for this and although I should be since I work in advertising, I often wonder back to the days when this technology wasn't readily available.

Every day I walk through Chicago or sit on public transportation, I judge those around me whose eyes are peeled to their iPhone screens, or whose fingers are latched closely to their iPads. But then I come out of my judgement and realize, shit, I'm one of those people.

I didn't obtain a smart phone until May of this year, and honestly, I was just fine without a smartphone before I got it. However, now that I have my iPhone, I'm not sure I could live without it. It's usually never more than 10 feet away from me. But WHY? Am I afraid I'm going to miss an important text? Am I afraid someone may look through my phone? Do I simply just have separation anxiety? It's sad, really.

There are days I realize how pathetic I'm being and I leave my phone somewhere in the house I know I won't be for awhile. Some days, I just need to re-boot. I often envy those countries that don't have the technology we have. I miss the days when people would get together to catch up instead of doing it through social media. I miss the days when going to the library was considered a pastime. I miss the days when you had to call collect. I miss the days when it wasn't odd to strike up a conversation with a stranger. I miss the days we all knew how to talk to others casually.

Technology has done so much harm to our worlds. It's taken the personal and created the impersonal. It's taken traditional and created digital. It's taken lives and created hunger-driven techies.

But, technology's double-edged sword has done a lot of good. It's brought breaking news to our attention within seconds. It's brought new media platforms that were not readily available a decade ago. It's brought long-lost souls together.

Technology was almost correctly predicted almost 20 years ago. I can only imagine the technology we will have 20 years from now. It's exciting, but also scary. This double-edged sword we call technology is going to continue to slice into our lives, whether it be good or bad. All we can do is sit back and watch it all unfold and decide what path we take.

With sharp edges and convenient slices,

The Adventures of an Interview...

So this is way overdue, but after reading my friend Molly's blog about her interview mishaps, I realized I had to share mine.

Let's rewind to 2 weeks ago. It was Tuesday, May 24. I had a second interview for my current employer. I couldn't decide if I wanted to drive downtown, or take the train as I had previously for my first interview. I decided on the drive, since I was going to a Cubs game later that night with my friend. I decided to park on his street and then take the L into the city, that would drop me off a block from the office. Perfect!

I left 2 1/2 hours early, just to be on the safe side. As many as you may or may not know, I have some of the worst luck of ALL time. When I want things to go my way, they never seem to do so. And of course, I was expecting leaving 2 1/2 hours early was plenty enough time, when I could realistically make it downtown in a half hour without traffic. Well, there was traffic. Not much, but still put me back at least 15 minutes. Great....

The plot thickens. My friend had told me I would have no problem finding free parking on his street. This is a lie. I finally found his new apartment and began looking for spots I could squeeze my '01 Oldsmobile Intrigue in (which, by the way, is my dad's old car). It has a dent on the front right side - not from me, because I've never gotten into an accident, nor gotten a ticket - he got it from hitting a snow bank. And he calls himself a retired police officer.

Anyways, parking was impossible. There were a few maybes, but they happened to be spots in between 2 different cars and I was not about to parallel park on a one-way street with cars driving behind me. Needless to say, I don't think I've even parallel parked correctly since my driving test when I was 16. I kept circling blocks (which all happen to be one way streets - even better!) and finally got out to just pay for parking. Instead of being a normal person and getting out the driver's side, I decided to climb over and get out the passenger side. Little did I know my little black blazer fell out (never saw it) and I realized parking was only for 2 hours. That wouldn't work. By this time, it was 3:15. Yeah, totally wasted an hour and 15 minutes. I got back in my car and drove off.

I FINALLY found a spot I could park into on my friend's street, smack dab in front of his apartment. YES! Now all I had to do was just find the L station. I looked on Google Maps and reached to grab my things. I realized my blazer is nowhere to be found. You have got to be kidding me...

Yep. It had fallen out and I drove away with it helplessly laying on the filthy curb. So, after the success of finding a spot, I reluctantly gave it up and sped heedlessly through town to (hopefully) collect my blazer. What do you know, it's nowhere to be found. I could NOT go into an interview with a sleeveless shirt. I got out of my car (the driver's side this time) and like a crazy person, asked the man in the car in front of me if he's seen my poor blazer. He said yes and pulled it out of his van (which looks similar to those creepy, windowless vans). Um, okay? I wondered what he was going to do with it. Give it to his wife? Donate it? Keep it for himself? Whatever.

I sped, once again, back to the street I had parked on before, praying to God that the spot I had was still there. And it was! THANK GOD. I then began running to the L station. Once I got there, I had to wait 10 minutes for the L to actually show up. It was now 4:05.

Needless to say, I didn't get to the office until 4:40 - 10 minutes late. I thought to myself, I'm done for. Absolutely done for. I left the interview thinking I was going to get a reject letter.

But then the news came the very next day. I got it!

Moral of the story - crappy things may happen to us and delay us, but sometimes, life has a funny way of working itself out. And I'm so glad it did. Guess I need a little bad luck to get some great luck.

On another note, I happened to lose my sunglasses and my ring today.

With craziness and luck,

An Unexpected Surprise

Today was a beautiful day - a little chillier than usual - but nevertheless, a beautiful day.

And I didn't really take the time to get outside and enjoy it. I've been wallowing in self-pity for reasons that will go unmentioned. I tossed and turned all last night, dreaming about things I wish I didn't dream about. Anyways, I napped today, trying to make up for the lost sleep from last night. I then visited my grandma at the nursing home, which in itself is downright depressing. To see my grandma at 96 years old, her memory completely erased, and unable to barely feed herself pains me to my inner core. I didn't feel like myself today.

When I got home, my dad went out to the mailbox to get today's mail (that by the way, came extremely more late than usual). He came to my room - "Mail Delivery!" as he said. He handed me two envelopes. One of which was graduation pictures that I could honestly care less about. I have enough of those already. But the second envelope was addressed to me, with no return address. I figured it was a neighbor sending some money for graduation. That would have been nice. But it was better.

As I opened the envelope, I knew exactly what it was. It was the letter I had written myself four years ago in my British Literature class when I was a senior in high school. At the time, my teacher (who was actually student teaching at the time) told us on the last day of high school to get out a piece of paper out and a pen. I was confused. This better not be a last minute quiz, I thought. No. It wasn't. She told us to write a letter to our future selves. She promised to send them to us four years later when we were seniors in college.

Over the past four years, I've wondered about that letter. What did I write? Would I ever see that letter again? I honestly thought the letter was long gone. After all, how would a twenty-something remember to send 25 students letters four years later? She proved me wrong.

I anxiously unfolded my letter and began reading. It's amazing to see how much I've changed, but also stayed the same. I first go over my high school accomplishments - playing basketball and running track, taking AP classes (none of which I got credit for..lame), being in NHS and Students of Service and Teen Court, as well as holding four different jobs.

I then talk about the meaning of love. How I found love in high school and how I got hurt and suffered a major heartbreak. In my letter, I say that I hope I found someone who treats me right and that I'm happy with. I've had my fair share of great guys I've dated over the years, so I think that part applies to each of them.

My goals are the next part I mention. Ever since I was little, I thought I was going to be a writer. As a senior in high school, I aimed to be a famous journalist working at a newspaper, or a magazine, or as a news reporter for a television station. Funny how that completely changed. I quickly learned journalism was not for me, and I have found what makes me happy. Advertising. I am so excited to embark on my new journey working at a big-time media agency downtown.

My family and friends were the most important thing to me at the time. And they still remain that to me today. Many of the friends I listed in my letter are ones I continue to consider my best friends. I know that will never change. Those I lost contact with, I know it's meant to be. Because throughout college, I met some of the best friends I have ever had that I will continue to cherish the rest of my life.

Lastly, I talk about my journey to college. I tell myself to have fun because I'm too hard on myself a lot of the times. I can tell in my letter that I'm scared to start a new chapter with college, but I'm even more excited. I tell myself that I hope I've graduated college, am beginning my career, and thinking about a family. Uh...that all sounds great, minus the whole family part. Gotta find the man first!

Anyways, as corny as it is, I got tears after reading the letter. After the miserable day I had, this was just the thing I needed to make me feel better. After reading everything I had to say as an 18 year old senior, I know that as a 22 year old, I've accomplished much of what I wanted to four years ago. I still want to travel and see the world, but I know the time will come for that.

The teacher gave us the option to write another letter and she will send it to us in four more years. I didn't even have to think about it. I'm going to do it. And I offer a proposition for all you readers out there - think about writing yourself a letter. Hide it from yourself in a place you won't find it or look for it for a few years. You would be amazed how much you will have changed and blossomed when the time comes for you to find that letter.

With letters and the future,

The Show Goes On

I'm an official alumnus from the University of Illinois as of May 14, 2011. Um, what? Where has the time gone? As I sat in my seat during commencement, I rewound all the memories over the past four years and wondered how it all led to that day. I reminsced my accomplishments, the nights out with my friends, the long days and nights of studying, the sporting events, and in entirety, my college experience.

Many don't know that I fought my way to U of I. My dad was pretty adamant about me attending the community college near my house. I knew that route wasn't for me so I went behind his back, accepted to U of I, and paid my deposit for the dorm. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy when he found out. But thanks to my Mom, she decided to help me with my college loans and from there, the rest is history.

I arrived as a freshman more excited than I had ever been. It was my time to shine, my time to succeed, my time to discover myself and the path I would take to the future. The thing I wanted to do the rest of my life turned out to be not for me. I waved good-bye to journalism and embraced advertising. Never would I have thought the field would make as much of an impact on my life that it has. I've found my calling (or so I think).

The last four years have been a whirlwind full of laughter, tears, stress, smiles, and bittersweet memories (that may or may not be remembered). I just can't believe it's all over. The last week, I was praying Ashton Kutcher would just pop out and yell, "You just got PUNKed!" Too bad this is real life.

The future is hazy. I thought I knew what I wanted, but now it's all a little confusing, frustrating, and scary. I really don't know where to go from here and I certainly don't know how to feel at this crossroad in my life. But I know I'm not alone. Some of us are moving halfway across the country to follow our dreams. Some of us are starting our first job - maybe our dream job, maybe one we've settled for. Some of us are preparing for even more school ahead. Some of us are just crusing through this thing we call life until we figure out what the hell we want.

I learned a lot at U of I, in and out of the classroom. But the most profound thing I learned there was to truly follow your dreams. Don't pick the job you know you won't like just because it pays more. Don't listen to anyone but yourself. Don't ever settle for anything. Do what you want and do what makes you happy.

I will admit I cried during my graduation. I couldn't help it. I've followed my dreams thus far - hit some bumps along the road and maybe didn't always get what I want - but the point is I've aimed high and succeeded and that is something I can be proud of. U of I not only gave me that confidence, but gave me the best of friends.

You all know who you are. As cliche as it all sounds, I wouldn't be the person I am today if I had not met each and every one of you that remain dear to my heart. You each made my experience at college so unique, exhiliarating, and memorable. I cannot thank you enough. And it saddens me to know that many of the people that have touched my life, I won't be seeing on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. It could be a yearly basis now, if not ever again.

So here I am. An alumnus of U of I. Not really sure what my future holds. Not really sure where my path will take me. Not really sure what I want. All I know is I'm going to keep taking deep breaths, knowing that everything will happen the way it is supposed to. Because after all, as Lupe Fiasco would say it, "the show goes on."

With deep breaths and wonder,

A Little About Me.

"Who are you?"

I’m Kelly Nash. My name just kinda flows, so most people always refer to me as “KellyNash” as if my name is just one word. Feel free to call me that (or any of my other nicknames: Kel, KellyBelly, KayNay, K-Nash, K-Nashty; they could literally go on forever).

I’m known for my sappy comments (people love to make fun of me for this), my clumsiness (I trip over everything), my blondness (even though I’m not a real blonde), laughing at my own jokes (when no one else thinks they’re funny), and being born with 11 fingers and 11 toes (yes, this is true).

Over the years, I’ve realized a few valuable things about myself. I can be negative at times, but I have a positive outlook on life. I can be selfish about what I want to do and what I want, but I will always put others before myself. I sometimes feel like I’m not good enough, but I will always stand up for myself and for what I believe in. I fight with my dad the most out of anyone in this world, but that’s only because he and I are exactly alike. I guard my heart and am afraid of getting hurt, but I will open up when I think the time is right. I sometimes have the worst luck, but then my lucky moments make me appreciate every moment I do have.

I picked up “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss and read it cover to cover before I turned 3 years old. I decided in just the 5th grade that I was going to write a book someday and even then began scribbling down ideas to get started. By the 7th grade, I already knew I was going to push to go away to college; where I would actually go didn’t present itself until my senior year of high school. My freshman year at the University of Illinois was when I decided to become an advertising major, even though I knew absolutely nothing about it; my sophomore year, I realized I was destined for the field. It was also my sophomore year that I decided to sit down, exert my emotions, and dive into writing an actual book that I hope to get published in the near future. Now, it's the end of my senior year and in just a few short weeks, I will begin my journey of ‘big girl’ world.

Needless to say, if you were to ask me what one word I would choose to describe myself, I would tell you that I am determined.

I’m determined to set myself apart from the crowd. I’m a leader, not a follower. I like to scare myself a little and push myself to limits I didn’t think I could do.

I’m determined to make a difference. I know I can’t make a dent in the problems of this world, but I can make a dent in the lives of my family and friends. I put my all into spending time with my family and being there for my friends.

I’m determined to live life to the fullest. I treasure each moment and try to go above and beyond with the experiences I have. I also want to explore the world and break free of my comfort zone.

I’m determined to see beauty in the simple things: a smile from a stranger, a clear blue sky, a run where you feel nothing can stop you, that connection you get when you’re with all your closest friends in a room, giving up your seat for an elderly person, a kiss from a loved one, a handwritten letter, a phone call just to say hi, a shoulder to cry on, an embrace from someone you haven’t seen for months, lighting candles, giving and receiving flowers, buying someone dinner when they don’t expect it, and most importantly, being vulnerable and opening your heart.
Nothing is guaranteed, so I cherish every breath, every laugh, every hug, and every experience I have. And the motto that gets me through this thing called life? Everything happens for a reason.