Solid ground

This is the season to write plenty. I've found my groove and stuck to my core, which involves the freedom to determine the hours I give and the hours I keep.

I find that this works the best for my family and me. Of course, I'm lucky not to need much because I have all I need and more. In the grand scheme of things, that counts as utterly blessed.

And so, I'm thankful. Very deeply so.

And vow to cherish these beautiful gifts by working well and never forgetting to make what is mine beautiful and well-tended.

With every year that passes, weathering every storm is a reminder of what truly matters: family, relationships, and belongingness.

The previous year was tumultuous. A permanent loss peppered with darkness coming from different directions made for a rocky year.

I'm only just starting to find my feet.

This year, amid prayers of strength and forbearance, I'm hoping to open a new chapter. And this time, a fresh page colored by people old and new, made even brighter by new experiences and discoveries.

Oh, there will be bumps, but what is a full life without a few of those?

As long as there's pen and paper or keyboard and screen, the words will keep flowing like how the river flows to find the sea. Pain, joy, and the droll of daily existence all come together as my stories—an average human, so incredibly ordinary—finding joy in moments of calm and solitude and reveling in the company of friends and loved ones.

With arms wide open, the next page continues.