A few weeks ago, I told a story here. I’d actually written it back in October. I couldn’t tell you, really, why I decided it was time to share now. But it felt like it was…and so I did.

And then I heard back. I heard from quite a few of you. Some of you I’ve met, some I haven’t. You said nice things, but mostly…you told me your stories. You told me about the trouble and the triumph. You told me about being tired…bone weary, crushingly tired…and making it through. Some of you told me of long ago hurts…some of fresh wounds.

To every single one of you: Thank you.

Your stories are precious. Thank you for trusting me with them. I kept trying to think of what to say. I wanted to tell people what I know about the people in my “real world” life who told me their stories…how they are, without exception, people you would look up to if you knew them. Professionals, high achievers, artists. How you wouldn’t know, if you saw them, that they’d ever had a struggle that knocked them all the way down. You wouldn’t guess it. That matters to me, because I think sometimes, when we’re in the middle of something tough, it’s easy to think that we’re the only ones struggling. The only ones who have ever been there. That there’s something wrong with us. There’s not. It’s just life. Beautiful, unpredictable, messy, amazing LIFE. Which is mostly very good, but also sometimes really sucks for a while. For just about everyone, as it turns out.

As I was reading these stories, a lyric kept playing in my head: “And if you want, I can tell the truth/ That this life takes a toll on you./ I spend nights stitching up the loose threads of my soul,/ In the morning, I’m bulletproof.”  (-Noah Kahan)

It was pretty catchy. One of my kids played it for me and it just kept running through my head – so I wanted to share it. The thing is, that wasn’t quite right either. I mean, yes….I really like it. But that’s about the struggle….and I wanted something that was about all of it.

And then someone just posted this:

And I’ve seen it before, a few times even….but THIS. This is what you were telling me about. Those moments when you had nothing left but a whisper, but you used your voice to say “I AM the storm”.

Thank you for telling me your stories. You are amazing. Be well. ❤️