Today I turn 52, and I’ve come a long way.
I’m learning to feel my pain—and the pain of those I love—without needing to fix it.
I can ask for what I need and stay steady, even when others want something else. I’ve stopped believing there’s only one right way to live. Moment by moment, I choose what a good life means to me. And I see myself thrive.
I listen to my body—and I trust it when it asks to rest, to move, or to step away. I’m on my side. I enjoy my own company and give myself the care I once longed for from others.
I listen closely to what I feel, because I experience everything intensely. I now offer myself the same compassion, warmth, and encouragement I used to give only outwardly.
I play again, like I did as a child.
I dance freely, without anyone watching.
I’m proud of the path I’ve walked to offer this friendship to the one who needed it most: me.
If any of this resonates, know you’re not alone.
It’s never too late to come home to yourself.
With love,
J