Fear Not This Night - Jeremy Soule

This summer is off to an adventurous start. Kicked off May with a wedding, the Renaissance Festival, volunteer work, AND meeting another co-author! 

As usual, I have way more hobbies than I have time for so life is always a little bit of everything. 

Earlier this year, I did a 70-mile walking challenge and earned a medal for it. I signed up for another one to keep the momentum going. 

(Leaning into the old hag in the woods look)

I'm trying to get back into reading more. I have so many books on my to-be-read pile, it's inexcusable. Having recently gotten back into GuildWars2, I picked up some of the lore books and am currently working my way through those. 

Writing - is it possible to count all the notes I've made instead of actual writing? Cause I did way more of that trying to sort through and organize ISC than I did actual writing. 

Piano is... in a lull. Meaning I haven't been practicing like I should. :p

My plants are growing, I think. Only a couple have died so that's progress. Some are even starting to bud! 

It's been a month of making new friends. New guild members. New coworkers. New family members. People I should have been friends with a long time ago, but let fear keep me from reaching out until more recently. 

(Look at that! I finally met DJ and the world didn't even explode!)

It's been a month of reconnecting with and supporting old friends. The friends whose families were in rough situations. The friends who had surgery and/or scary medical emergencies. The friends who went through significant loss. The friends going through major life changes. The friends sharing news of incredible joy or success. 

Life gets busy. It's always busy. You don't get many moments to stop and catch your breath. And when you do, something always seems to come in to take it a way. Take a breath. In. Out. Slow down if you can, but don't stop. Life can be beautiful and wonderful and magical and meaningful, but you have to be looking for the light in the darkness. You can do it. I believe in you. And if you need help, I'm here. Never alone. 

"Courage, dear heart." - C.S. Lewis

"Dawn is just a heartbeat away

Hope's just a sunrise away." 

- Jeremy Soule

 ~ Always Hope ~

Queen's Gardens - Christopher Larkin (Hollow Knight)

Get Up - All Good Things

 

I see you. I know you're tired. I know you're weary. 

It's been a long day. A long week. A long year. A long three years. A long eleven years. You see it. I see it. It never ends. It never stops. Oh, how you wish it would stop. How your tired heart aches. 

It will end, eventually. You know that. I know that. We know the war has already been won. But not here. Not now. Not yet. Until then, you're not done. We're not done. 

Rest. 

Then get up. 

“It’s going to be okay. Things will get better. Anything’s possible, as long as you don’t give up. You’re doing a good job.”

“We’re not sparring here, bud. Get up.”

"It doesn’t end here.” He stood up. “If you’re ready to keep going.”

"We're going to change things, you just wait and see. Just trust me. Things will get better. That's a promise."

"I can't believe that you of all people would be ready to give up! No."

"There's no such thing as hopeless."

"Good doesn’t battle evil because it is easy. Part of being the good guys means doing the hard things, even if no one else will. Even if we fail. Because there’s always the chance we won’t."

"As long as you try, that's all I ask."

"Giving up when everything in you is screaming to quit is not strength. Continuing to live and hope and trust and fight for what's right is not weakness. So what if it looks hopeless? I will keep fighting."

“Grief has its place, but you can’t let it consume you. Get up.” He stepped up and offered a hand. “Get up,” he repeated.

"Oh, I’m not finished yet. We’ve got a war coming, remember?"

“We watch out for each other, remember? You’re gonna be okay. Things will get better. That’s a promise.”

“I won’t give up! Not here. Not this place. I have to keep going."

"How many times are you going to stand up?”

“At least once more."

"Always hope. Always."

Eyes up, guardian. You're not alone. 

When you're ready... 

Let's go. 

"These trials make us who we are, who we are, we are

We're motivated by the scars that we're made of

These trials make us who we are, who we are, we are

We take our places in the dark

And turn our hearts to the stars"

Trials ~ Starset