This afternoon I found out that a gal I went to high school with passed on, leaving behind a young son and many unfinished projects and dreams. I remember carpooling with this gal and taking gymnastics together when we were kids in Florida.

This morning I watched a video from Max Simon about his dad Dr. David Simon who passed on last week. Dr. Simon was the co-author of a book with Deepak Chopra that was truly enlightening during my first pregnancy – “Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives.”

Two new angels earned their wings.

Every time I hear of something sad like death, it always gives me pause. Even when I’m so ‘busy,” I know it’s important to take in this moment with all its rawness and realness.

So this afternoon after I saw this latest bit of news, I made the decision to stop my work and just enjoy the rest of the day with my kids.

Enjoyed folding the laundry, making dinner, taking a bath with my son, putting my baby to bed, followed by reading to my toddler and sitting with him while he fell asleep. Sat there, breathed deeply and felt grateful for the sheer act of inhaling and exhaling. Felt grateful to be alive.

Felt grateful for my dreams.

Felt grateful for all of the opportunities that come to me and that I create.

Felt grateful for my family, my friends, my clients, my partners, my community, my everything.

And then I came back to this idea: that life doesn’t always make sense.

Sure, sometimes it completely does and you know exactly what you’re doing and where you’re going. But … then, there are the days when it’s all a haze, a maze, a trip, a whhaaaat?? Ya, it’s part of the deal.

It won’t always make sense.

Believe anyway. Have faith anyway. Stay open anyway. Dream anyway.

“The shell must break before the bird can fly.” ~Alfred Tennyson