Falling Yet Rising….

Hello my Dear readers. Did you miss me? Because I’ve missed you — and honestly, I’ve missed me, too. It’s been a while since I’ve sat down with my laptop, messy bun, and overly ambitious cup of coffee, pretending I have it all figured out. Spoiler: I don’t. My life lately? A wild season of plot twists and caffeine!! — But then again, when has life ever been subtle?

Here’s the hard part — three loved ones passed away this year. Three hearts, three worlds, all gone within months. And while I wanted to press pause and disappear, I found myself whispering the same words Maya Angelou gave me as a child: “Still, I rise.” It’s my emotional Red Bull. Even when I feel like I’m breaking, those words remind me that there’s power in the comeback. Mascara tears and all.

Grief has a weird sense of humor — it humbles you, then hands you wisdom you never asked for. I’ve learned that pain isn’t just a test of strength; it’s a manual on empathy. Sometimes I still feel unfinished, like I’m writing a story without knowing the ending. But maybe that’s the point. Healing is less of a “happily ever after” and more of a “to be continued.”

My mentor — the queen of tough love and perfect eyeliner — told me to start writing again. She reminded me that my words are more than therapy; they’re bridges. So here I am, re-emerging from my self-imposed hibernation, typing through the chaos, trying to turn heartache into art (and probably spilling matcha on my keyboard in the process).

Now let’s talk about fall. How’s yours going, darling? Have you been crying, dancing, singing, or just floating through it with a pumpkin-spice latte in hand? Fall is my absolute favorite — the season of hot chocolate, soft sweaters, and unapologetic transformation. There’s something holy about it. The way the air shifts, the way the leaves let go without asking permission — it’s God’s gentle reminder to do the same. To let go. To let God.

And as the leaves fall, I feel my ancestors closer than ever. My loved ones — though gone from this world — haven’t really left. I hear them when I doubt myself, when I can’t sleep, when I try to be brave but feel small. I hear them, and I hear God. Losing so many people at once sent me back into my cave, but here’s the twist: in the dark, I found light. I found ease, perspective, healing — and a new understanding that maybe we don’t lose people. Maybe they just move into our hearts rent-free.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned this season, it’s this: we fall, we rise, we laugh, we cry — and somehow, through all the madness, we keep dancing. After all, darling… isn’t that the whole point?

Xoxo, with love and resilience always,

Victoria S <3