Unknown

I watched the movie, Wild, last night. My heart was left inspired and my heart burned to respond. I, like Cheryl Strayed, had traveled alone as a woman into the unknown. During my time, I was forced to look myself, hopes, and dreams in the face. I was forced to take a challenging look and then to respond.

But the real honesty is this: I'm still looking. I'm still responding. I'm still learning to dance in this world. But this, I have learned. I have seen it with my own eyes:

Life is fragile and unpredictable. It carries us along a road and a path of the unknown. And our faith is representative of this too. It is is winding discovery and a place of stability. 

-Hellen Willett

Home, that place where my heart resides--is the place where my heart resides. And home resides in my heart. And so, just as Cheryl Strayed, hiked to discover more of herself, I believe we have seasons in our lives where we need to do the same. 

Currently, I find solace and comfort in writing out my thoughts to keep me moving forward. Whether they are about faith, friends, relationships, home, cooking, or wine--my heart refuses to stop. This life is meant to be recorded and shared.

The story of human intimacy is one of constantly allowing ourselves to see those we love most deeply in a new, more fractured light. Look hard. Risk that.

-Cheryl Strayed

Say it. Speak up.

I've recently been on a John Mayer kick. I've been listening to him non-stop. Next to worship music, he has been the current and up-to-date singer blasting through my stereo. There is an album that he wrote a few years ago. It was about love and the difficulties of it. There is a specific song that talks about saying what you need to say.

Take out of your wasted honor/Every little past frustration/Take all your so called problems/Better put them in quotations/Say what you need to say

Walkin' like a one man army/Fightin' with the shadows in your head/Livin' out the same old moment/Knowin' you'd be better off instead/If you could only/ Say what you need to say

Have no fear for giving in/Have no fear for giving over/You better know that in the end/It's better to say too much/Than never to say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shakin'/And your faith is broken/Even as the eyes are closing/Do it with a heart wide open/A wide heart

There have been many times in my life where I've gotten my "foot in my mouth" because I've said too much or more often than not, I had spoken the truth, but at the wrong moment. I've seen relationships come and go in my life due to this, but one thing that I'm grateful for is this: I never held back. Each person knows how I feel and where they stand with me. I say what I need to say.

Gracefully stumbling across my words. Sometimes hesitantly with hands shaking. Boldly and confidently speaking from the heart.

In a day in time where we are becoming more and more self-consumed and less relational or communicative, I encourage you today to "say what you need to say"! Speak up. Speak from the heart and say what needs to be said. Have the difficult conversations. Have the good and delightful conversations.

Because we have this life and it's a gift. It's momentary. Embrace it and embrace others with love.