Dear Darlings,

The last two years have been life altering and life affirming for me. I spent them in the company of people who lift me up in so many ways. I learned to let go of toxic people – those people who bring my soul to tears. It hasn’t been easy, and I’ve been labeled as selfish for doing so, but protecting myself and my heart became the cornerstone of what I needed.

In doing all of this I realized something. I realized how strong I really am. For years I went with the status quo, trying so hard not to upset the apple cart and to tow the same line I was bound to for as long as I can remember. I held onto to things, objects, because I thought I had to. But these objects began to feel like handcuffs. So I found the strength to let them go.

For years I wore my mother’s first wedding band, because it was expected of me. But it began to feel like an albatross around my finger, weighing my hand down. So I began to look for a new one, and I found it. It’s mine. All mine. And it’s one I think I earned through the trials and tribulations of these past years.

The Celtic Warrior Shield ~ the circular center mirrors the shape of a shield Irish warriors would carry into battle. The symbolism of it is what spoke to me…bravery, loyalty and strength are the cornerstones of it. In the past two years I’ve learned where my loyalties lie, how to be braver than I ever imagined I could be, and to tap into a strength I never knew I had.

This is the ring I never knew I needed, but feel I earned. Stan presented it to me, down on one knee, asking me to marry him all over again, because I think he sees the bravery, loyalty and strength I have found. And I treasure it…not as a thing or an object, but as an extension of who I am becoming.

xo,

me