From Turmoil to Truth
A few weeks ago, I shared about how my family and I have been finding our way through a dark and stormy couple of months, but I wasn’t brave enough to share the details. Here’s the cliff notes version:
I was heartbroken for most of January. Yeah, I got my heart broke. I made a rookie mistake and thwacked the first domino. It was a swift, stinging thwack on an innocent domino, which caused a cascading chain reaction. So, I slogged through a double-doozy heartbreak: agony for the hurt I caused, and deep grief in my tender lil’ heart for all the love lost.
Mom had been grieving right alongside me, and I am beyond grateful there was a week of solace in between my period of deep sadness and the next thunderboomer. Mom and I were rolling right along when she learned her cancer had spread significantly. After a couple days of treatment, she had some severe side effects and spent three days in intensive care. There was a moment when I thought she was gone, and days when I wondered if she could ever live a normal life again.
This brought my little family together: Mom, my brother’s family and me. It’s been a rough ride. Mom’s treatment has been pretty grueling. Her health problems mean she can’t drive, and living way out in the country makes things even tougher. Mom is a miracle woman who’s been trekking right along with such grace. Day by day, we are all taking one step and then another.
For the first month, I was Mom’s primary caretaker. With all my extra responsibilities at home, the only work I kept up with were my clients. I put everything else, including my writing, on hold. With book deadlines fast approaching, I asked Mom and my brother if I could take a couple weeks to go to a remote location to be a hermit and work on my book.
So here I am, in Flagler Beach, Florida. Coddi, my Airstream, sits in a friend’s yard, just a one-minute walk from the Atlantic. Peace and quiet, and my beachside book editing has inspired me to work 10+ hours a day. Yesterday a big storm blew through. It cleared just in time for an evening stroll. Walking south toward clear skies, I glanced back and saw this:
The beauty in the trailing edge of the storm brought tears to my eyes. Life mirroring life. There are still plenty of wind gusts that blow through in my personal storms. It’s hazy if we look too far ahead, and clouds still darken the skies, but sunlight peeks through in the clear spots. Each of us in my family have been touched by the light, and found peace in the silver linings. I am so thankful for this time here, and for my brother’s family for taking really great care of Mom.
Each morning I take my tea and computer to a picnic table nestled in seagrass where I work on my book in the pre-dawn light. For a week and a half, I’ve been alone, watching the sunrise. But this morning, a man was sitting at the table, staring out at the pastel horizon. On the table was an empty glass bowl, a mug, two shiny stainless steel things the size of large thimbles, and a Tigger the tiger figurine. Tigger faced out, as if watching the sunrise.
I asked if I could join him and he invited me to have a seat.
We chatted for a while then sat in silence.
“So, I’ve been wondering. What’s Tigger’s significance?” He looked at Tigger and back at the sun peeking over the horizon.
He took a long breath, exhaled, and picked up the shiny thing next to Tigger. “This is my brother.”
He sat it back down. I hadn’t even considered what the little silver things were.
He picked up the other small urn. His voice broke when he said, “And this is my wife.”
He held it a while, then set it down in its spot facing the rising sun.
I was in awe of him being in this gorgeous place, remembering likely the two most important people in his life. Sharing some of that reverence with him was an honor. The sun shone bright on the two urns and Tigger.
He picked up Tigger. “The tiger was my dad’s. I found it when we were cleaning up his place after he passed. He was fond of tigers.” He set the tiger next to his brother’s urn.
We never know who we are sitting across from or what they are going through. If we allow connection and get curious, everyone will remind us that love is at the heart of all things.
With oodles of love,
Kristy
Book Update: My book—Perfect Unfolding—hits stores on September 27th!
There will be a launch party that day as well. Mark your calendars! (more details to come)
This book is a raw, soul-baring story of life on the road as a single female nomad, and a journey into the question: “Where do you most want and need to be free?”
Want to have fun with me, and help get this book out in the world?
If you are curious about the book and/or joining the launch team, here’s a description of what we’ll be doing together, how you can benefit, and a short questionnaire. This is a world-wide launch, so no matter where you are, you can join in the fun.
Header Photo: Sunrise at Flagler Beach, Florida. March 2025
Get articles like this one delivered to your inbox
If you would like to receive intriguing stories, thoughts and ideas in your inbox once every month or so, sign up for the newsletter by clicking HERE
Here are more posts: