22 Comments

Happy Birthday Ana, you are one of the bravest humans I have ever known and I’m grateful to be cohabiting this planet alongside you. Thank you for being here in this time and space continuum, sharing your story in this community that you created. Much love, prayers, and light!

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Swarnali, thank you so much!! This made my heart bigger. <3

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Happy birthday <3

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Thank you!!!

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The quote about living for others sank in for me, too -- just broke up with a partner and feeling regrets. Happy birthday! 🎈

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Aw sending you lots of warmth as you navigate that transition. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes!

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Thanks 😊

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Oh! And celebrating your beautiful bedroom. That looks like cozy, lush rest heaven!

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Happy birthday to you! Celebrating this exercise in deep présence, radical honesty, acceptance, authenticity and imperfection. I feel you on the paradox of being seen versus seeing others. Thank you for allowing me to sit with that myself... In my case, I sense it is about feeling what is wanting to be hidden somehow... Relating to that shadow.

I also appreciate this part: "but I’ve known for a long time that living for others is not really living, but surviving; clinging to each person like a raft that will keep me afloat. Looking to others for self-definition and approval."

👌🌻

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Thank you so much Claire! I think there are things that want to be hidden, and can remain hidden if we want. Not everything has to be shared. But I am glad to share this space with you. <3

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Really loved this--it was such a comforting read <3

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Thank you Isabelle!

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Happy birthday, Anastasia. Embrace each moment of this year. So glad you're here. xo

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Thank you so much, Sandra. I am equally glad of your presence. <3

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Happy +6 days-birthday to every part of you!

I turned 43 last year, I promise you the best is yet to come. I truly rejoice with you for your gift of radical self-love and presence.

As you asked, your post is what brings joy and hope to me today, as I'm just finishing some poetry work about that inner work of getting to love oneself and allowing oneself to love, be loved - to be seen without the fear of being hurt again (those who know know).

The weird happy child that survived in me greets yours. The adult in me that overcame survival (people pleasing, masking and so on) and eventually found a way to live a soulful life greets yours. IFS is quite powerful and reiki too but the healer is the "walker". I don't know how you found the courage to follow your resilience path, and that's none of my business but I receive your testimony as a gift too, as I wish it could happen to some more and more people (underline : and someone close to my heart). More to give, more to receive. Enjoy your new year! :)

PS: your letter reminded me of the poem "The journey" by Mary Oliver which you might be familiar with.

"(...) and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world, determined to do

the only thing you could do -- determined to save the only life that you could save."

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Marion!! This is so beautiful. Thank you for such a loving reflection. I feel privileged that I got to bring you joy today. And I love, love, love that Mary Oliver poem, thank you so much for reminding me of it.

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One great thing about getting older is that you can sort of start to view time horizons in decades instead of years. To paraphrase an old quote, "you can do way more in 10 years than you think you can, and way less in one year."

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Thank you Andrew! It is very helpful to think of time in decades. We can accomplish so much, learn so much, and come so far in a decade.

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Wish you Happy belated birthday 🎂 👏. Thanks for sharing your story, it reflects the journey which is going through ups and downs but always tech us something extraordinary. I am really sad for everything you lost, but yes you showed us the courage to stand again even the all hope in life dead. Thanks again:))

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Thank you so much Vishal, for reading and reflecting here. <3

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Happy birthday! Love you and proud to be in your extended community.

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I love you, too! Thanks so much for reading, Denise, and for being you.

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