As I step into this new year—the year of the Fire Horse—
I carry grief.

I carry the grief of walking my mother home.
The anticipatory grief of her impending death.
The grief of the relationship I longed for with her for so many years.
The grief of the life she did not get to live, shaped by all she endured.
The grief I hold for my daughter, as her world shifts with her first great loss—
for the grandmother who was ever present in her becoming.

And I carry immense gratitude.

Gratitude for the healing that unfolded between my mother and me just weeks ago.
Gratitude that I have done my own work, and stand rooted enough to support her on this sacred passage.
Gratitude for the incredible circle of women who surround and hold me.
Gratitude for my daughter—an exquisitely beautiful soul and my greatest cheerleader.
Gratitude for this land and this home entrusted to me.
Gratitude for my fur babies and their unwavering, unconditional love.
Gratitude for Mother Earth, whose presence steadies and comforts me.

What I am longing for now is peace.
A peaceful passage for my mother, with minimal suffering.
Peace within.
Peace around me.
Peace for all beings.

I long for a place to live within a like-minded community of beautiful souls.

My heart is asking for unconditional love.
For spoken truths.
For warm hugs and intentional conversations.
For a life shaped by presence and tenderness.

I envision a life of full presence, intention, and purpose.
A life of connection—
where I hold space for others through breathwork,
and express myself freely through writing and art.
I envision warmth.
I envision water.
I envision belonging.

Even in uncertainty, I choose trust.
I trust what is unfolding before me.
I trust my intuition to guide me in work, community, education, and play.

This is my prayer.
This is my promise—to walk forward with an open heart,
listening, honoring, and allowing love to lead.

— Delta Ori Nahimana