Tiny Victories // The Ground on Which You Stand

I've been thinking often about luxuries...

Like a bed. 

Like a roof. 

Like a job at a coffee shop.

Reality does not always match your wildest expectations, but that does not amount to failure. We're more than a decade and a half of schooling. More than any job; any amount of money. 

We are joy, fear, love, jealousy - a force of nature. 

I've been thinking often about grace...

The friendships that keep me grounded.

The family that holds my head up,

When I'm too tired. When I'm weary.

There is nothing like the warmth of a soul invested in who you are, what you do.

There is nothing like knowing there is a love that transcends, like light in a dark forest. 

Even the smallest actions deserve recognition. 

It is hard to graduate and still not know what the road you want to take. I feel this pressure to jump into a career; to fall in line. This move has been a test of personal strength. I like schedules. I love routines. 

Here, I have very little of either. 

So on darker days, I have to remind myself what this is all for.

A story. For myself. For my children.

A chance to answer.

And I make sure to celebrate the tiny victories.

The cheap bed from Ikea. The simple (or not-so) act of registering my car. 

Of course, the run.

Make sure to give yourself credit where credit is due. There is no standard for what you can celebrate and what you can't. Think of all the holidays and "national" days this country has. Not every road will lead you to a perfect home; a place to stay, but that doesn't mean shouldn't dance on the ground on which you stand.