If I am to be honest, these last 6 weeks have seen my heart broken in a million different ways. I’ve felt such a volume of heaviness personally, familially, globally and even physically condensed into these last weeks that it’s hard to believe that it’s only been a few weeks and not a few years. It seems I am not alone as many of the memes I’ve seen floating around social media say something to the effect of “Welcome to the 842nd day of January” and it both makes me laugh and wince all at the same time.
And yet in the midst of it, there are glimmers of laughter and love that lighten my load. These small yet mighty moments interrupt the weight . . . moments such as a giggle with my sister; the leap in my heart knowing that next week, I will be launching myself into my bff’s arms; the comfort of bribing my husband with bacon and coffee to lounge in bed with me until mid-afternoon; the delight in the disgust of the endless drool that dangles from my dog’s lips; the electricity that ignites me from a conversation with a dear client; and always the sweetness in body and soul of the chocolate cake that I nibble on throughout the day.
I’ve come to believe that this is how we see ourselves through times of hardship, of any caliber. While we can’t always change circumstances, we can punctuate them with the glimmers of love and delight. And over time, perhaps we can string enough of these small glimmers together that the heaviness gives way and soon, the delight outweighs the hardship.
If you read last month’s newsletter, you know that I have been longing for community and seeking ways in which to create more of it in my life. So much so that it was the theme, intention and north star for my 2025.
As my dear dad would say, that’s a ping from the universe because unbeknownst to me and the circumstances that would soon arise, community surfaced and has been the salve to an aching heart.
I had one such glimmer last night when I was honored to lead the first of what I hope will be many Women’s Circles here in my sweet little town.
In the coziness of a welcoming space, 25 women gathered; most strangers who stepped out on a limb to find their own community. The intention was to create a space that fosters true connection and belonging.
We talked about the importance of community and what keeps us from it. We talked about the pervasiveness of loneliness in our culture and the factors that lead us there. But more than anything, we shared openly and honestly, with laughter and with tears. We bravely allowed ourselves to be seen and somehow in the midst of it, we found connection. The brightest glimmer of them all.
I wonder if like the women coming together last night, taking small and brave steps of vulnerability and grace, that glimmers require a leap of faith, a brave step into the unknown and the openness to receive the beauty despite the pain.