What Comes After the Quiet: Finding My Way Back

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Somewhere Between Then and Now

I know it’s been a little quiet the last few years.

Some of you may know, and for those who don’t, I stepped away a bit due to life and loss. I went from sharing a lot of my life (sometimes, perhaps oversharing) to retreating for my own health.

Truth be told, my perspective changed in many ways.

My priorities shifted.

I became increasingly aware of time and its fleeting nature.

If we want to get really honest, I was numb, feeling lost, and operating on autopilot.

Believe me, it wasn’t all doom and gloom, there have been so many amazing moments. Though, in a way, it helped me take the time I needed to grieve my Dad.

It made me appreciate my family infinitely more, if that’s even possible.

This can get long, but I hope you stick with me til the end of this post.

Living with Grief

Honestly, the first real loss I experienced was one of the biggest. Losing a parent. Not that my loss minimizes any type of loss, one is not greater than another.

I know it is inevitable, just like it is our own fate to face, too.

But, I don’t think we are ever ready to lose someone we love.

Though, until you actually experience a loss, it’s hard to understand.

That’s why I don’t blame people who wonder why it’s hard to get past.

I get it, because I didn’t understand before either. I always felt deep sympathy and sadness for people who lost a loved one but, I never felt or understood the profound depth of loss until, well, it happened.

It takes time, and eventually, you find a place where you live with the grief. It doesn’t get better, it doesn’t get worse—it just is.

Renewal

You grow around the grief, but it’s still there.

But with time, you find you can let the light back in, the happiness, and start living again.

So, that’s what I’m doing.

For my kids, the love of my life, my family, and for those who have left us.

I also became a bit disillusioned with social media, which can be tough since it’s what I’ve done to make a living since I started this journey in the early 2000s.

Don’t get me wrong. I am forever grateful for what it has provided me and my family, the amazing people I’ve met, the friendships, and the opportunities I probably would have never experienced.

I’ve loved every part of the journey, and I am so grateful for all of you.

It’s not that I lost my passion, but when you lose someone you love, you lose a part of yourself.

I guess the goal is to find yourself again, even though you’re different and not the same.

I compare it to the Japanese art form Kintsugi where one repairs broken ceramic with gold. It begins with putting the broken pieces back together, and the end result is a beautiful piece of art.

Whole. Renewed. Able to function again.

Honoring and displaying the cracks, not as something to hide or be ashamed of but, that it is a part of the history, not its entire existence.

Perhaps, I do tend to overthink, eh?

Connection Matters

Sometimes I feel a little old in this space. I’ve gone from posting selfies and covering events in my 20s to stepping behind the camera for a long time.

Just sharing the true joys in my life: my daughters, my dearest love, the happy moments, and even the difficult ones.

Maybe I’ll turn the camera around again more soon?

I miss the weight of my DSLR in my hand. Shooting pictures just to capture the beauty and the feeling of what I see through my lens.

I miss writing to just write, sharing, and connecting with people on a level where we can simply feel like the humans we are.

The world feels like it’s in a place I never thought I’d see again. There is so much division, noise, and uncertainty. It’s saddening and, at times, alarming.

More than ever, it feels like we each have to make a stand and resist the pull toward disconnecting from one another.

Standing up for what is right. Whether you do it loudly or in quiet, personal ways, it matters. Every act of kindness, understanding, or courage adds up.

Finding My Way Back

So, I am dusting off my keyboard to renew that connection again. Yes, there will still be articles where I share content that I hope helps people in everyday life—the ones where I write professionally.

There will still be sponsored content that helps to keep this site going, but I’m bringing back these types of posts too.

Even if they don’t rank, or even if not many people read them.

Believe me, I still love creating. It’s what keeps me going and why I continue to share online. It’s one of the very reasons why I’m writing this right now.

In fact, I happened to be going through my iPad and found something I started writing back in 2019. I wrote it simply to preserve those thoughts and, perhaps one day, to share them.

I can see the difference in the way I write when I do it purely for the love of it.

In a world filled with AI, I feel that the human voice and emotion can’t be replaced.

What Comes Next

If you’ve made it to here, thank you! I hope you’ll come back to see what’s in store. Halloween is right around the corner and let tell you, it’s a bit bittersweet this year.

This is the first Halloween where it’ll be just me and D passing out candy.

I don’t think you are ever prepared for your kids growing up, huh?

Mimi is going to be ‘Joe Cool’ Snoopy, which is so adorable. I grew up on Snoopy, and love him so much, so I am here for it!

Gabby is recreating my Lara Croft costume I wore when I was 21. She is using the same holster that my dad made for me 20 years ago! She will be the same age I was when I wore it.

How wild is that?

But, for now, we are going to enjoy painting pumpkins with the girls, and looking forward to the holiday season!

You can always find me on IG via @whispersinspire and lately, I’ve been on Benable sharing some of my fave stuff because I do fear I spend far too much time perusing stuff to buy online.

You can check out my Benable storefront or even start sharing yourself. It’s invite-only (you can skip the waitlist and use my Benable invite) right now. I love it because you can not only shop but, earn money yourself.

All by just by sharing the stuff you love and use, it’s easy!

It’s kinda like a shopabble Pinterest without all the noise!

As always, I am just a message away, so please feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment. I love hearing from you!

Tell me how you’ve been and if it’s your first time, tell me something about yourself.

Let me know, til then—cheers m’deres!

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