“[This song] made me think of you and your journey,” brother Teddy texted me one afternoon in February.  He sent a link to the song, “Hope Will Lead Us On,” by the Barlow Girl.

When I received that text that day, the timing was perfect. I never visited nor did I have a desire to visit Las Vegas prior to when I had to work there. The newness of the city, living in a Casino and working overnight started to way on me. And there were times where I questioned my life and where it was headed. 

Those two months brought so much perspective. Las Vegas was the perfect distance between my home town and Los Angeles. For the first time I could look at the two cities with objective eyes and without the desires of others whispering in my ear. I realized, Los Angeles is my true home because I missed it in a way that was new to me.

I lift up this journey for all that has come into my life, the people I have meet along the way and the ways I have grown but … It. Was. Not. Easy.

I seek to be motivational and honest in this blog, and sometimes those two goals clash. I always choose honesty, with a lining of light, love and hope. But, to say this four wheeling journey was easy, would be a lie.

There were times I felt I could not make it.

Times I felt so lost, like there was no one I could turn to, who could fully understand the foundation I was building. Sometimes in life you don’t need someone to support you; you need someone who knowingly understands. I had moments where I could not explain realizations I had or the beauty of what I now know as synchronicity.

I wish I could have taken a 3D snap shot of some of my experiences so that my friends could fully grasp their beauty or weight of a moment and it’s significance in my life.

Or grab a 3D snap shot of the hardest moments so that people I may never meet through this blog, could see that your struggles are not unique to you because the essence of them are universal to all of humanity.

We have just been told and reenforced the importance of hiding our scars, struggles and pains.

There were times I looked around and felt so isolated. Times I question why I choose to live in a unfolding struggle versus take the easy path. The answer that countered each that were:

• You know where you came from, you tried all the other paths this is all you have left.
• You believe your life can be more and you know you are capable of more.
• Few people have lived this way, so it’s going to work out somehow. If it doesn’t work out at least you tried.
• The universe has asked you to trust it. So trust.
• Surrender to the moment, it will pass.
• You have come this far, keep going.
• You keep uncovering a deep strength you never knew you had before this journey.

I wanted to save today’s song for a rainy day for me to write about when I am in struggle. Yet, I present this song to you on this day, because it keeps popping up in my mind to share to you or someone you know. I trust that this post needs to be read by someone, somewhere who is hurting, lost, confused, or lonely.

It’s hard to convey hope to someone who has lost hope. Or convey love to someone who no longer believes in it or never experienced healthy love. So I offer this song, as my gift to you to help you when you are down and feel weakened by your journey.

“Rise us again. Sake up the Shadows. Unlock the doors and let hope live one more.[…] Every moment, becomes the flame, that lights the way.”

“Hope Will Lead Us On”

by The BarlowGirl