In lieu of a holiday card, let’s take a look back at 2023!

This is a letter I wrote to myself around this time two years ago. I wanted to share it here because I believe this letter deserves to breathe and to be seen by more than just me.

When a puppy and someone with dog allergies coexist under the same roof. Otherwise known as what I’ve learned as a first time dog owner and how I’ve managed my allergies thus far.

Pulling into the parking lot, I spot a deep purple wine-colored Mazda car. The same car my mother had. Her presence or lack thereof is everywhere and my loneliness is quick to surface. Ever since the day she passed, I’ve pushed down loneliness and numbed it through eating, reading, and endless scrolling. I’ve never given my loneliness a voice. Until now.

Fluorescent lights are harsh at 5 am. Especially on the days when I don’t get enough sleep. They are a reminder that I am awake while the rest of the world slumbers on, but then I remember just that. I am the first to wake up and feel grateful that I am alive to see another day. That has to count for something.

As I stare out my window from the top bunk of my 4-bed dorm, I am entranced by this young man getting his beard shaved at the barbershop across the street. He is slumped nonchalantly in his chair, smoking a cigarette, and looking at himself narcissistically in the mirror to ensure his beard is trimmed to his definition of perfection.

It’s 12:30 p.m. I’ve just landed at Brisbane International Airport and have only one hour to get to the city center, ditch my bags, and meet my friend, Brad, for lunch. Underdressed for the chilly Melbourne morning and overdressed for the heat and humidity of Brisbane, I am kicking myself for not giving myself more time and sweating profusely from the 20 degree change in heat and extra weight of my backpacks.