05/30/2026
Over the past few years, I’ve learned some difficult but valuable lessons.
When you’re going through pain, you find out very quickly who is truly there for you and who was only there when you had something to offer. It’s a harsh reality realizing that some people disappear the moment you need support, compassion, or understanding. In some of my darkest moments, when I was struggling just to keep my head above water, I was met with silence, distance, and indifference.
People see snapshots of my life—self-care, wellness, photography, travel, moments of joy—and assume I have it all figured out. What they don’t see are the nights spent crying, the battles fought behind closed doors, and the tremendous effort it has taken just to survive. While others saw someone “living the life,” I was often drowning inside, desperately trying to save myself.
I did it without medication. Without therapy. Without a strong support system. Just me, putting one foot in front of the other, refusing to give up.
The experience has taught me discernment. It hasn’t made me bitter, but it has made me more protective of my heart. Going forward, my energy will be focused on myself, my family, and my animals—the ones who have never asked me to be anything other than who I am.
Animals have taught me more about unconditional love than many humans ever have.
My first rabbit, Babs, was chronically ill, and from 2006 to 2015 I had the privilege of being her caretaker. Losing her broke my heart. Now, as I watch my sweet Hazel age, I find myself facing those feelings all over again. Hazel is my last living connection to Babs, and it’s heartbreaking to see how quickly time passes. He isn’t just a pet—he’s family, my little fighter, my heart.
I named him after the brave rabbit Hazel from Watership Down. My Prince Hazel.
This upcoming trip to our happy place will be bittersweet. Deep down, I know our time together is precious, and perhaps more limited than I want to admit. But instead of focusing on what I may lose, I’m choosing to focus on what I still have.
Every cuddle. Every nose boop. Every quiet moment. Every memory.
I promise you, Hazel, that the rest of your life will be filled with love. You will know every single day how cherished you are. You have carried me through some of the hardest chapters of my life, and now it’s my turn to make every moment count for you.
The world may not always be kind. People may disappoint us. But love—real love—still exists.
Sometimes it comes wrapped in fur, with gentle eyes and a heart that asks for nothing in return except to be loved back. ❤️🐰✨