I have forgotten how emotionally exhausting it is to be smitten by someone, infatuated with butterflies.  Distracted by the warmth of an affectionate smile, glowing when saying his name. That sense of falling head over heels.  The aching feeling of missing him.  Not realizing when and how all of this happened.  Unexpectedly so it did. …

and kind words from an extraordinary family member helps me make sense of it all: “i was sad to hear you broke up with [exboyfriend]…but of course if you are going to marry someone, you have to make sure this is what you wanted, and i didn’t think you were ready yet.  you always have to live…

revisiting the topic of decluttering life my friend who has inspried so much internal soul searching asked me how i have been feeling since arriving here.  i said that it was peaceful, effortlessly quiet.  and brilliantly he coined a phrase that i knew would be referenced many times moving forward: simplistic loveliness.