Hello dear reader,
I hope this finds you well (and warm). The chill in the air has officially settled in for the season, bringing with it a fresh, new year—a clean slate brimming with possibility.
Every Friday, I congratulate our weird and wonderful internet friends for making it through the week. But to have made it through an entire year? Well, that deserves a standing ovation.
So, dear reader, congratulations—you made it. Way to go. Another year under your belt means another year of wisdom, lessons, and likely a hefty dose of resilience. If the past months left you a little banged up, dust yourself off. If you came through unscathed, good for you! Either way, celebrate. You did it.
And while we’re celebrating—you guessed it—congrats to me too! This month, my husband Ryan and I are marking 17 years of marriage. Seventeen! What a journey it has been. Every year, as the snow starts to fall, I can’t help but feel nostalgic and think back to our wedding day—a night that unfolded during one of Chicago’s most epic snowstorms.
Flights were grounded, roads were impassable, and heels were swapped for boots. It was chaos in the most beautiful way. But our guests were determined, and resilience and resourcefulness carried the day. Against all odds, we got married—and oh, what a night it was.
Each January, I pull out our wedding album and relive the madness and joy of that snowy night. The photos of my fur boots peeking out from under my dress and the blustery South Loop streets bring me right back. We never got the polished, posed photos we planned on, but the candid shots captured something even better—authentic, fleeting moments of pure happiness.
It’s funny, isn’t it? We spend so much time chasing perfection—staging, retaking, and curating—that we forget to simply be in the moment, especially when life unfolds unpredictably.
Every time I flip through that album, I’m reminded to reset my intentions: to live more presently, to take mental snapshots of the moments that matter, and to store those images in the albums of my mind and heart.
This is your gentle reminder to do the same.
Pause. Look around you. Take stock of what’s good and what’s real. Acknowledge what you have to be grateful for, and make the effort to imprint it in memory.
Life moves fast, and sometimes the most meaningful pictures are the ones you never planned to take.
Stop. Breathe. Snap the moment.
The memories will last a lifetime.
Stay cozy,
Michelle
This article was originally written for Hillgrove Ave Magazine.
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