Everyone has a story

 Each year at Kindergarten Graduation I try to thank parents for letting me be a part of their child’s story. A small part of the amazing people I know they are going to grow up and be.  

Recently with a new job and feeling like we are finally reconnecting post COVID I’ve stopped to think about my own story. In the past week I’ve had a handful of people I haven’t talked to in a while reach out and reconnect. People that have meant a lot to me over the years, but our stories just happened to move in different directions. I’ve also watched a dear friend receive some of the hardest news you can about the health of a loved one. Babies have been announced, marriage’s too.  Life continues. 

All of these made my stop and ponder my story. The nature of life for me right now means that I spend a lot of my day alone. In the car, on my couch, at the store. The tiny moments are often spent by myself. This chapter of my story has me flying solo. But it doesn’t mean it’s lonely. 

One major lesson I learned during COVID is that I never want to look back a feel like I didn’t live. Not just survive day to day, but LIVE. To have memories full of people and laughter, good food and experiences. I want my story to be full of color. I want it to have mattered. 

My favorite part of life here on earth is that we are all so incredibly different, but that those differences are what make the world beautiful. I love the arts, not because I have ANY talent in them myself but because they are such a pure expression of emotions. They make us feel. I want who I was here on this earth to be a work of art. I want those people that knew me to be able to smile when they remember our times together. I want to leave things more beautiful that I found them. 

Tonight as I drove myself home from a movie date (with myself, the best kind because no one steals your popcorn or interrupts during the smooching parts) I rolled the windows down, turned my music up, stuck my hand out the window and was content. I thought about all the people who have made my story beautiful. So if you are reading this, know that I’m thankful. I’m thankful that you came into whatever chapter of my life you did, and that you help me become who I am today. Maybe you showed up during the awkward high school chapter. Maybe you met me as Sister Boudreaux. Maybe we were T birds together.  Perhaps you are a part of the chapter I just closed out in Eagle Mountain. Whenever it was, thank you. 

I’m nothing special. My life story isn’t going to change the world. It’s not revolutionary. But it’s important nonetheless. 

And so is yours.

Whatever chapter you are in, whoever your co-author might be right now. Your story matters. We need as many different stories as possible to fill the world with. We need the happy endings, as well as the hard middles. We need the good, the bad, and the ugly. We need characters who are flawed. The ones who might only be able to take it one step at a time. As one of my favorite Disney princess would say, “(they) do the next right thing”. (Shout out to frozen 2, I still cry every time) 

Life is beautifully hard for all of us. It’s full of plot twists and things that are just not fair. But we keep doing. We keep going. We keep living. 

So live your story, and make it the best damn story you can. And thank you for being a part of mine. 

Love,

Nae