As I sit down to write this, a gentle wave of nostalgia washes over me, mingling with a profound sense of gratitude. In the fall, after yet another false start in my journey to find love, I found myself cocooned in the warmth and familiarity of my closest family and friends. It was during this period, a time of quiet reflection and healing, that I experienced something I’d liken to a personal reawakening.

It’s strange, isn’t it, how life’s missteps can inadvertently lead us back to our roots, to the very essence of our being? In those moments of vulnerability, surrounded by the people who know me best, I was gently reminded of the parts of me that they cherished the most. It felt like dusting off an old, beloved book and rediscovering the stories that once brought me joy.

Each person, in their unique way, held up a mirror to a part of my soul that I had perhaps neglected or forgotten.

My brother, with his easy laughter and our shared childhood memories, reminded me of my capacity for joy and resilience. Watching him in his new role as a father, tender and patient, I found an unexpected source of inspiration. He and my sister in law looked at me with a knowing smile and said, “You would be a great mom.” Their words weren’t just a passing compliment; they were an affirmation of qualities they saw in me – nurturing, caring, capable of boundless love. It was as though they saw a future version of myself that I hadn’t dared to envision.

My sister, a beacon of honesty and courage, played a different but equally vital role in this journey. She was the one who, in her candid manner, reminded me not to let others take advantage of my kindness.

“My biggest fear is you being made to believe you are not worthy” she would say.

Her words were a reminder of the value I offer, a call to stand firm against the tide of anyone who might mistake my compassion for weakness. She is always a pillar of strength, reflecting back my own inner fortitude, the part of me that never gives up, even when the odds seem insurmountable. My brother-in-law, usually a man of few words, opened up to me in a similar way, gently urging me to see the things I’ve been overlooking, his rare words carrying a weight that made me listen.

Then my best friends, who in their own way reflected the generosity and kindness they saw in me. “You’re always there for us,” they would say, “and you deserve the same in return.” In their eyes, I saw a reflection of the person they believed in – someone who gives freely but is also deserving of love and generosity back. They see me as a person of value, someone who enriches the lives of others simply by being myself.

In these interactions, it was as if they were piecing me back together, each holding a different fragment of my spirit. A joke here, a shared silence there, each moment was a thread weaving me back into a blanket of wholeness.

I began to see myself not just as I was in that moment of struggle, but as a composite of all the love, strength, and wisdom that my loved ones saw in me.

This journey of rediscovery wasn’t just about finding comfort in familiar faces; it was a profound reminder of the dynamic and multifaceted nature of our identities. We are never just one thing, one person, or one emotion. We are a beautiful, ever-evolving collection of traits, influenced and shaped by every person we encounter.

As you read this, I invite you to reflect on your own experiences. Think about the people in your life who have held up mirrors to the parts of you that you’ve lost touch with. Remember, in the eyes of our loved ones, we can often find the most truthful reflection of who we are.

In sharing this piece of my heart, I hope to remind you and myself that even in our lowest moments, we are never truly broken.

We are simply scattered, waiting for the gentle hands of those who care for us to help piece us back together, revealing the beautiful mosaic of our being.

With love and reflection,

J