Learning to Pause

Life has a way of slowing us down when we least expect it, doesn’t it? Yesterday, I learned that a dear friend of mine lost his battle with cancer. Just a year ago, he received the diagnosis, and now he’s gone. I still can’t grasp that his radiant smile, his warm presence, won’t light up this world anymore.

In the chaos of today, with a million things demanding my attention, I found myself pausing. A real pause—not the kind where you take a quick breath before rushing to the next thing, but the kind where your soul whispers, “Stop.”

And in that stillness, I asked myself: What truly matters? Not what society sells as important. Not what influencers hype or what playlists glorify. Not what headlines proclaim. But what truly matters to me.

At this point in my journey, the answer feels clear: simplicity. A life rooted in the things that make my heart feel alive—my family, my dogs, the soothing waves of the beach, and my favorite boba tea. A simple, steady rhythm that allows space for joy, love, and connection. Everything else feels like noise.

My friend had a way of bringing joy to the room, even when life was heavy. And now, in this sacred pause he’s gifted me, I find myself smiling. Smiling because his memory, his light, reminds me to realign with what’s real.

Thank you, Brian, for one last reminder. You will be missed my friend, rest easy.