Letting the Light In: Reflections on Loss, Growth, and the Journey Forward
As I welcomed this New Year, it wasn’t just a quiet night with my dog and a TV show; it was a culmination of several years of reflection and growth. There I was, ringing in the year with the final episodes of Stranger Things, a series that’s been a small but comforting companion through the ups and downs of the past few years. And as the clock ticked over, I found myself looking back not just on 2025, but on the journey that began in 2019 when loss first cast a shadow over my life.
In these years, I’ve navigated the heartache of losing loved ones, the challenges of heart surgery, and the gradual process of healing. My career became a place of purpose and transformation, where each new project and leadership role helped me find my footing again. And by letting more light into my home—both literally, through my remodel and my new houseplants, and figuratively, through my reflections—I found a new sense of clarity.
This year’s New Year’s meal was a blend of my mother’s tradition and my own twist, a way of honoring the past while embracing the future. It symbolized how I’ve woven together the lessons of the last several years into a new vision for my life. From the darkness of 2019 to the gradual return of hope in 2025, I’ve learned that even the hardest journeys can lead us to a place where the light at the end of the tunnel is real and welcoming.
So, as I look forward, I do so with a heart full of gratitude. I’ve chosen to live and love with intention, to embrace both the shadows and the light, and to find joy in the journey. I hope that sharing this reflection inspires you to do the same. Here’s to a New Year of embracing the light and living with purpose. Happy New Year.
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