This year's been an odd mix, starting and ending with a yearning for the people I miss. In the stretch between, life's been full of highs and lows, but there's been a lot of living. I've had these incredible moments, breathtaking experiences and heartwarming encounters that made me feel a tad more alive.

The highs took my breath away and the lows brought me back down to earth. I met some amazing people along the way, each leaving a mark on me. Breathing in the misty mountain air, dipping my feet in icy cold streams, shopping to turn a house into a home and warm meals with people who treated me as their own. I had my heart broken, used as a target for a person who wanted to practice anger, and slipped away from a future that felt so real and complete. It's funny, that you go through all these experiences, chasing happiness, but sometimes, it's the journey itself that matters.

Every bit of laughter, every quiet moment, the cold winds, and the warm smiles, they're all pieces of this bigger picture. So here I am, at the end of the year, a little more put together, a little more myself, even with that bit of emptiness. It's all a part of this path we're on.

Maybe it's not about filling a space or fixing something. Maybe it's just about living. Maybe it's about finding bits of yourself along the way.