Hello and Happy Thursday,
How are you doing? Anything new and exciting in your neck of the woods. Yup, you guessed it… life’s been a rollercoaster ride for me again… or better yet, still. I don’t know about all of you, but I’m so ready for a moment of calm.
John’s getting ready to head to Florida for an extended stay. Grant got his very first job working on what he fondly refers to as “the big boys.” He’ll be working on Boeing and other large aircraft, and he’s super excited, but understandably nervous as all get out. Honestly, I get it. I’m not sure I’d be any less afraid, nervous, or anxious than he is. I can’t imagine moving across the country for a job, let alone my first job. I applaud his courage though. I know he’ll do well once he’s settled in, and I’m so happy John is able to go with him for a while to help him get settled into his new life.
With John leaving Saturday, I’ll be taking the first couple of days he’s gone for myself. I need to begin the decluttering phase of our home, but more importantly, I’m taking the advice of my loved ones and giving myself a day or two of quiet. It’ll be good for my mental health. Life is full of so many wonderful blessings, yet it’s also full of busy… and with starting my Eternal Echoes company, I need to prioritize getting all the writing and marketing launched. Fingers crossed… wish me luck.
You know, life has a way of handing us emotional curveballs at the exact moment we think we’ve found our footing. Lately, I’ve been moving through the quiet unknowns of watching someone pull away from the very people who love them, shutting down, shutting out, and leaving everyone else to figure out the pieces they dropped. It’s a strange kind of heartbreak, the kind that doesn’t come from romance, but from witnessing someone you care about retreat so far inward that connection becomes impossible. It’s even harder when they can’t articulate the why, or at times, even recognize they’re doing it.
Life sure is complicated and difficult at times, yet I am certain the outcome will be better than any of us have ever expected. I’m excited to see the final results of watching someone step into their dream at such a young age. What a blessing that is for me to be a part of.
And when people withdraw with no real explanation or intention, their choices ripple. Plans shift. Responsibilities fall on others. And sometimes, like today, it means shifting last‑minute plans in order to meet the need of finally being able to say goodbye. Life doesn’t stop or slow down… not even for those who’ve found comfort in distancing themselves from the people who love them to the moon and back. On the contrary, it keeps moving, and we move with it… even when it’s unplanned or last minute, even when it’s heavy, even when we wish things were different. It’s a go‑with‑the‑flow time of life for me. It’s handling the unknown of what happens next for someone you helped raise. It’s knowing they’ve got this, even when they aren’t sure what comes next.
I’m learning that love, in all its forms, isn’t just about closeness. Sometimes it’s about navigating the distance someone creates… and choosing how to show up without losing yourself in the process. I’m learning what’s most important… the happiness in hearing someone smile through the phone when you tell them they’re getting something they not only wanted but needed so desperately. The gift of wishing the one they love nothing but the best. The softness of saying “I love you” to their face. And the tenderness of ending with, “until I see you again.”
Goodbyes… and “until I see you again” … are never easy. They make things we aren’t ready to face… a reality.
I see that now. I understand this in a way I didn’t before. Sometimes saying goodbye means holding back tears. Sometimes it means facing emotions we’re desperately trying to keep in check. And sometimes goodbye is simply another way of saying… until we meet again.
When I didn’t understand the why, I was frustrated, hurt, and at a loss for how to navigate not only my feelings, but the feelings of those around me. I learned though, I can’t navigate or control how others feel. And I also learned that I was seeing fear in full motion. I came to understand how fear peaks right before we leap into something new. When life hands us too many changes all at once, some of us, myself included…freeze. We become so overwhelmed, emotionally flooded, dysregulated. We pull away from anything and anyone that feels like another layer of “new.” Not out of rejection, but out of protection. We subconsciously feel the need to protect what we don’t understand about what we’re feeling. That’s hard. That’s a lot.
When we’re sitting in fear, facing loved ones means facing the truth that life is shifting beneath our feet. And even when we want the change so badly that we can taste it, even when we’ve prayed for it… the unknown can still feel terrifying.
I suppose though, we’re lucky here in my home. Family, friends, and our loved ones, they are the true heroes and backbone of our world. The love, understanding, and strength they’ve all shown us as we navigate the unknowns of what’s next… well, “thank you” doesn’t seem to be enough.
Things have come full circle and are working out in the best ways possible. “Until I see you again” is making an older man the happiest man in the world. “I love you” is making a woman… the rock of the family… feel at ease. And a bear hug… well, that’s going to make a young woman feel loved, adored, seen, and happy. What better way to send off two people who are such a huge part of my world.
God works in mysterious ways. He makes things right in His time, and being able to witness this… I am humbled.
Sometimes life shifts in ways we never saw coming, and all we can do is meet the moment with as much grace as we can gather. I’m learning that even in the chaos, the last‑minute changes, the emotional distance, the unexpected goodbyes… there’s still a quiet beauty in showing up with love. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s who we are.
Well guys, that’s about all I have for tonight. I do miss you all, and until next time, don’t forget,
Love Life++ Hugs
May your heart return to itself again and again
PS.
If you’re navigating your own version of change right now, be gentle with yourself. Even the strongest hearts need a moment to breathe before stepping into what comes next.
Love Life with Dawna 