Page 24 of Chapter 2

I realized this morning that I haven't written in a few days, so let's catch up, shall we?!

Despite the chaos of the last few weeks, this past weekend, I celebrated another trip around the sun, and with it came unexpected yet deeply transformative gifts. Not just the kind that can be held, but the kind that seep into the soul and shift the very essence of existence.

For years, birthdays were a reminder of absence—of promises left unfulfilled, of words left unsaid, of love that never quite reached its destination. But this year was different. This year, I stepped into something sacred.

I found my spirit this weekend. Not in a fleeting, surface-level way, but in a way that cracked me open and let the light pour in. I had been walking in a fog, caught somewhere between surviving and truly living, unaware of how much I had been waiting—for permission, for clarity, for a sign. And then, the hands of fate intervened.

The Creator, the ancestors, and the spirits of the land had been listening all along. They had heard my cries, my prayers, my silent longings, carried on the wind like whispers in the trees. And with grace, I was given all the tools I needed to find exactly where I needed to be and who needed to walk with me. Every whispered hope, every tear that fell in solitude was gathered, seen, and transformed into something greater than I could have ever imagined. The path was laid before me, not in grand gestures, but in quiet revelations, in the steady hand of my ancestors guiding me through the darkness and into the dawn of a new understanding.

Keys were placed in my hands. Not just metaphorically, but in a way that felt ordained, as though the ancestors had left them along my path, waiting for me to recognize them. Some doors needed to be closed—firmly, permanently, with no lingering hesitation. Others stood waiting, inviting me to step forward, to embrace the unknown, to trust in the divine timing of my life. And so I did. One lock at a time, one threshold at a time, until I found myself exactly where I was meant to be.

I feel restored, as if the land itself has wrapped me in its embrace, whispering its ancient wisdom into my soul. I feel seen, as if the ancestors are nodding in approval, their presence a steady drumbeat in my heart. I feel loved—not just in the way that warms the heart, but in the way that anchors the spirit, connecting me to something vast, something eternal. And for the first time, I feel capable of offering that love in return, with the same depth and certainty with which I have received it. Love that is not bound by conditions or fear, but one that flows as freely as the rivers, as endlessly as the sky.

The Creator aligned the stars perfectly, weaving together paths, people, and purpose in ways beyond my understanding. And for that, I am endlessly grateful. Grateful that I was given not only love but also the ability to give it in return, to hold space for others as it has been held for me.

Sometimes, life whispers. Other times, it roars. This weekend, it sang. The trees swayed in unison, the earth hummed beneath my feet, and the wind carried the songs of those who came before me. And for the first time in a long time, I listened—not just with my ears, but with my spirit, with my heart wide open to receive all that was meant for me. I walked forward, not alone, but hand in hand with those who had always been with me, waiting for me to remember that I was never lost, only on the journey home.

🪶🫶🫖 𝒥ℛ𝒯

🎨 ArtCredit: Raven Shaolin Bluefeather