In honor and appreciation of the magic I have felt this week, the fact that this blog, my tiny corner of the interwebs, reached FIFTY followers today (WHAT?!?!? So much gratitude!!!), and “#tbt aka throw back Thursday” I wanted to bring you some realness today.

This is me, in the pictures below, before I ever fathomed that I might not be perfect, or loved, or happy and free for the rest of my life. Spirited. Genuine. Bold. Filled with laughter. Free of body issues (at least half naked MOST of the time).

I mourned for that girl a lot over the last two years. I mourned for the life that girl should have/could have had under different circumstances. I can’t go back and keep her from taking this little detour, but I can take my power back and put her back on track.

I am going to be 32 next week and this month I have felt more like that little girl than I have at any point over the last 29 years. I’ve met new experiences with wonder, beauty with gratitude, newness with curiosity, feelings with compassion and awareness. The world hasn’t changed around me, but my eyes have and I am LOVING IT!

I saw this quote on a friend’s Facebook:

and decided to love MYself, too. But seriously, how could you not love this little girl? I promise to never forget again.