Adding to this post, now and forever. :)
Consistency is both king and queen. In physical and mental endeavors, in work and hobby alike. Putting in your daily deposit—however small or seemingly insignificant—is pretty much always superior to a shiny brand-new plan or an intense yet temporary push. Momentum is what’s up.
Amazing musical performances can be brought to new, seemingly unpredictable heights by sharing the experience with people you love. Additionally, post-concert shenanigans are some of the best out there.
Furnishing an apartment isn’t necessarily fun, but it doesn’t have to be awful either. With the right pacing, frequent communication (and apologies for a lack thereof), a few key decisions, and strategic U-haul utilization, cozy vibes can indeed be attained.
There is a right way and a wrong way to make the bed, and learning how to (eventually) surrender to the right way can teach you a surprising amount of lessons about relationships and yourself.
Real-life pillow talk isn’t too far off.
Having someone to listen—simply listen—to frequent, nonsensical rants of frustration about your physical ailments can make the difference between spiraling toward a much darker place and the decision to approach the next day with a little more hope and gratitude.
There are clear, definitive tiers of tortilla chips, and Juantonio’s sits in its own tier at the top.
An underrated part of attending weddings is getting to talk about what you want and don’t want for your own!
Hosting dinner parties is incredibly nourishing for body, mind, and spirit—particularly when they occur on a seasonal solstice and/or equinox, and in spite of the fact that grocery costs irrationally stress you out at times.
It’s entirely possible to miss someone as much as you ever have after three days apart, even after several years of long distance.
Email kind of sucks, except for when you get a beautiful poem forwarded your way on a random Tuesday morning.
It’s heartbreaking to watch someone struggle with something they care about so much, often due to no fault of their own. It is equal parts, if not more, elating to watch them break through in real-time and reap the fruits of their sticktoitiveness.
Tossing in a bonus P.S. because we as a species have deemed five-year increments more special than four or six. I’m for it!
I don’t always have the words (in English, at least) to express how utterly amazing of a being Sierra is. I love all of her, as cliche as that can sound—the quirks, the brilliance, the tendency to be cold, the willingness to floss, the bursts of frustration and excitement when coding, crocheting, or both. It’s a blended feeling of warmth, admiration, trust, excitement, and selflessness.
So it can feel a bit overwhelming when I’m asked to pick out favorite things or best qualities. Thankfully, her friends are extremely good at this! At a recent yurt camping trip near Napa to celebrate her 26th, I asked fifteen shivering, sugar-laden people—ranging from long-term homies to core best friends—what their favorite thing about Sierra is. Leaning toward the robust campfire that our friend Javi was tending to, answers flowed easily and earnestly.
Among them were Sierra’s tendency to always be smiling (that stunning, glowing smile) and bring radiance into a room; her curious love and yearning to care for and explore the planet on which we live; her seemingly effortless ability to make others feel at home—to feel grounded and deeply okay—when around her; her knack for knowing when it’s time to hunker down and embrace the pursuit of a lofty goal or limit-stretching challenge; her tendency to show up for others (with a phone call, a hug, a homemade chocolate chip cookie, or a combination of the three) when it matters most; and, above all, her unabashed inclination for a good time.
As everyone spoke, I felt a wonderful feeling of non-separateness. Sierra has given me all these things and so much more, opening up new possibilities for who I might become. In turn, I have been able to try my very best to pass on what she has given me to others, spreading the light of her spirit only to receive more with each passing moment we spend together. Her gifts and magic live in so many of us, and the certainty in the voices of our friends affirmed this.
We love to forget ourselves, but also to remember what we are: mortal creatures lustful of meaning, radiant with life, eternally alone and eternally longing for home — home in ourselves and home in each other.
— Maria Popova
Happy 5th anniversary! You both are the definition of soulmates. This is utterly lovely 💜💃🏼
absolutely beautiful