storms make trees take deeper roots

Photography by Bluebird pictures

Dress by Tashi and Cataleya
Hairpiece by Lizzapooh

Challenge topic for today is something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it.

Melissa Etheridge has this belief that we all chose our hardships before we are born. No matter what excruciating adventure we go through in life, she has a theory we pick it when we are elsewhere because we know that path will take us to a place where we will learn the most. She talked about this notion at length a few months ago on a Joe Rogan podcast. I listened fascinated, and forever changed. At first this idea turned my whole world upside down and inside out. Then, the more I turned it around and around, and held it close to my heart, I realized it makes sense to me.

Maybe I did choose cystinosis because I knew it would teach me so much.

I'm learning the more heartbreak you trudge through, the sweeter the happy is, the more pain you live through, the more bliss you squeeze from the joy. Chalk it up to getting closer and closer to turning 30 (I am 3 months away...and cannot wait!) and wanting to honor the memory and tremendous lives of those of my friends with cystinosis who were never able to celebrate that milestone of a birthday.

I am so lucky our girl has a laugh that gives me the courage of a lion.