Life is Like a Box of... Stroopwafels?

I’ve probably flown over 15 times in the past few months.

Atlanta, Denver, Destin, Dublin, Owensboro, Raleigh, San Francisco.

Having flown so many times recently, I’ve had lots of airplane snacks. Honestly, my favorite part of flying is when the flight attendants bring the snacks around. It’s always a bummer when they come like a thief in the night while I’m sleeping.

Last weekend, while I was on a flight home from San Francisco, I had one of those disheartening moments. I fell asleep on the pitch-dark plane and woke up to everyone around me having already finished their snacks.

After shedding a few tears, I decided to cheer up with some writing therapy. I began typing in the Notes section of my iPhone when, to my amazement, I looked up and found that a Stroopwafel had been placed in the back of the seat in front of me for me to enjoy.

It’s incredible how much we can miss when our heads are down, eyes are closed, lights are off. But when we look up, open our eyes and turn on the lights, we’re aware of so much more.

In closing out 2017, you might’ve been wondering what happened to the year.

Where did it go? It seemed like we were just watching the ball drop. How’d I miss 365 days?

Maybe you didn’t believe 2017 was worth remembering for whatever reason. Maybe you experienced immense heartache or a breakup or someone close to you passed away. If so, I see you, I love you, and I’m sorry.

Despite what we see on social media, not all New Years are spent in celebration. For some of us, it looks more like mourning. But as we start 2018, I want to encourage you to see the morning in your mourning. That space where the light is breaking in. Where you can’t help but be grateful that you’re here, that you’re alive.

As shared with To Write Love On Her Arms founder Jamie Tworkowski by his friend Renee:

“The stars are always there but we miss them in the dirt and clouds. We miss them in the storms. Tell them to remember hope. We have hope.”

Today and everyday, remember hope. We have hope.

And Stroopwafels.

With love,