So I'll be bold, and I'll be strong.

I'm not going to lie, you guys. I've been struggling. A lot. I can't put my finger on it, but I've just had this intangible sadness and I can't figure out where it is coming from. Today for instance. Today was bad. I'll spare you the details, but today was bad in a way that all I could do was sit in front of Jimmy Johns on my lunch and call my mom and cry. And I promise you, it was not pretty. 

But then I got these texts:

"I WANT TO HOLD HIM FOREVER"

"HE IS SO FLUFFY ON TOP OF MY BODY"

You see, this is my friend Laura. And that is my dog, Woody. Laura and her roommate (and another equally good friend), Gabe, let Woody come to their house today because my electricity was out and it was really hot in my house. In a time of really big need, the 2 of them didn't hesitate, or bat an eyelash. They just welcomed him in. Laura even took him running. You guys know how much I love my dog. He is my world. And here are 2 people who get it. Don't question it. And love him too. Can you think of better friends? I can't. I don't think the 2 of them even understand how freaking much it meant to me. Because here I am, with tears streaming down my face, telling you this, my heart exploding with love. 

The moral of the story is that it's so easy to feel alone. When you're a nomad like me, you make a decision. To see your family less, to have your friends strewn across the country. The faces you love get seen with FaceTime, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. That personal touch gets fewer and further between. But then you stumble across a new group of people and it takes your breath away how much you love and care for them. And they for you. You add them to the group of people whom you love beyond belief. And you get a text from your best friend, reminding you that those that you love are there for you, even if they live as far away as Minnesota. And your mom listens to you cry, even though she has a migraine. And your manager is so busy, but he takes the time to listen to you when you need it most. And a coworker makes eye contact with you across the room and smiles at you and then later tells you that she loves it when you smile. These moments, they are so small and quiet and simple, but they are everything to me. Today I realized that no matter how alone I feel, there's no way that I ever will be. That the people who care will be there when you need them. And they won't even hesitate. And that, my friends, is all the inspiration I need to make tomorrow a better day.

Peace and love,

Coleo

PS. You owe it to yourself to listen to this: Mumford and Sons: "I Will Wait". I've already done so several times. 

"And I'll be bold/and I'll be strong/and use my head/alongside my heart."

Swoon.