Another week, another series of losses.

Between work and home, I've lost many people and things that were fixtures in my life.  A few close colleagues at the restaurant left to take other jobs.  My outdoor patio at the restaurant was torn apart by teenage vandals.  And at home, we lost several old trees in the storms that pushed through the midwest last week.  I could go on.

But today, I'm reflecting on it all, and realizing that none of it was constant in the first place.

Sometimes I think about why we crave stability.  For me, it's fear of the unknown.  There is security (albeit false) in having unwavering elements in our lives.  And when those elements go, it can make us wonder who and where we are, and what we're living for.

The more this crazy year goes on, the more I know that nothing is stable. Nothing is fixed, and nothing is really owned.  We are just borrowing things and having experiences while we're here.

We're nothing but a bunch of explorers.

Reader, bleak as I sound, I actually feel calmer than I've been all week.  I've been working on giving up my self-preserving tendencies and surrendering to my explorer's heart, just taking in everything as it comes.  The more I do this, the deeper I can breathe.

I leave you with this picture of my son exploring a creek near our house. Whatever you're up to this week, I wish you clarity as constants crumble and strength as we explore all this uncharted territory.  I'll see you next week. -Em