First Word

Some days I just don't know what I'm going to say on this blog. I had some very powerful, spiritual feelings today as I was driving back to Folsom. I looked up as the sun was literally rising, and I thought, "I've got the best life, and I'm so blessed to be surrounded by such love." The sunrise is a new day, and today is the first day of the rest of my life. I have had a really rough year with a lot of loss; but you know what I'm still standing and the fact that I can wake up and hit the road to see such a sight! And to feel truly alive again. Life is full of moments, especially in nature, loaded with such beauty. If you're not paying attention, you'll easily miss those moments. So pay attention. Wake up to the sunrise and go to bed to the sunset -- and live your life to the fullest in between. I am full of gratitude and love for this crazy, beautiful life. And I'm grateful to those who have stood by my side these past months and supported me...

I wanted to write about getting through the tough times, and the importance of really feeling your grief and pain to be able to get over it. We live in a society that uses alcohol, drugs and other distractions to avoid the hard feelings -- the ones that can bring you to your knees. I've just come to the end of a long journey that lasted about a year. Each bump in the road wasn't a small bounce -- it was the kind of life stress that did, in fact, bring me to my knees several times. The entire time and through the endless tears, I just wanted it to stop. Yet I've known people who used aforementioned distractions and 10 years later continue to suffer their own demons. While each crying jag was enormously difficult, and I felt just terrible, I didn't avoid it. On the advice of my amazing life coach and some of friends who are therapists, I went with the proverbial flow. I let the tears just pour down my face and rain all over the place. I physically suffered the ravages of ...