Here’s a fascinating premise I learned: as soon as you make a commitment to being your true self – expect to be ejected from situations where you no longer fit. Even when that ejection feels like rejection. Is it possible to reframe your thinking to understand the good behind it all?

A glimpse into our gorgeous getaway!

Do you ever see us?

The man who eats alone in a crowded restaurant

The solitary woman who licks her fingers with pleasure after eating ribs

Oblivious to the fancy patrons around using only their silverware

On New Year's Eve, we tried to expand our family. I'd been considering adopting a dog for a while and had been monitoring the Humane Society's website for potential candidates. On December 31st, my girls and I saw a dog we liked, so I decided to make the leap. I had a lot of good reasons to adopt another dog. We were rescuing a canine from the streets and providing it a good home, with many years of love and care. However, it didn't go as planned.

Living in an imperfect world guarantees that we all carry wounds at various stages of healing. We all hurt. We all bleed. We all feel emotions that are difficult to handle.

Several times recently, random people have commented to me, “Things are going so well for you!” or “You’re so lucky!” or “I’m jealous!” Such comments usually catch me off guard, because I know what they don’t; there are so many more things I want to accomplish. But recently, after replying with a “Thank you!” and continuing on with my day, I started thinking deeper about what they had said.

It isn’t luck. It hasn’t been easy. And it certainly wasn’t the way my adult life began.