With everyone their highlight reels from 2025, this reinforced how 2025 was one of my most challenging years. I know pain like a roommate. It’s there when I wake up, when I walk, when I sit, when I sleep. It dictates where I go and what I do. It controls my decisions and what I physically can say yes or no to. It has humbled me more than anything else in life.
And yet, it has become my greatest teacher. I’ve started to look at pain as pure salt. I’ve learned that I can allow it to shrink my world so I am all-consumed by it, like a glass of salt water. Or, I can expand my sense of Self, and life in general. This perspective allows me to embrace stillness, deepen my empathy, and better understand those living with chronic pain. My awareness and the amount of bitterness I taste depend on the container that I put it in. I can choose to be a cup or a lake.
I spotted this rainbow on my drive today—a huge symbol of hope. My surgery date is less than a month away, and I am counting down the days until I can resume my normal activities with more flow and ease. Nonetheless, I am grateful for everything this painful season has taught me and gifted me, and for the friends who have consistently stood (and sat) by my side with bright hope and a sense of possibility for what 2026 holds.
If you’re currently navigating a season of pain, know that you’re not alone. Take one day at a time. Or even one hour at a time.
The default mode in these challenging moments is to be a cup. Choose to be a lake.