Finding Beauty on a Rainy Day

Well, today was supposed to be an anniversary…A date I’d circled on the calendar. A day that once held plans for flowers, maybe a nice dinner, and all the little sentimental things you think you’ll share with someone.

But instead of roses, I got something else entirely: a council win, a mani-pedi, and a plate of coastal Georgia shrimp and grits. 💅🏽🍤💼

And honestly? That was more than enough.

I walked into that room quietly confident, ready to do the work. No speeches. Just the business of listening, leading, and making sure people’s voices were heard. We made real progress, passed strong policies, and I left feeling deeply thankful for the people who showed up with the same heart and determination.

Sometimes what you don’t get makes room for what you truly need: a little rest, good food, and the reminder that my happiness was never tied to someone else.

So I decided to mark the day anyway. I treated myself to buttery shrimp over creamy grits that tasted like home, let my hands soak in warm water before picking a shade of polish that made me smile, and allowed myself the luxury of breathing deeply without rushing to the next thing. I gave myself permission to enjoy my own company, to linger, to savor, to be.

It wasn’t the day I had once imagined. But life has this way of surprising you when you let go of the AAC script. What could have been a day of feeling sorry for myself became a day of gratitude, accomplishment, and just enough pampering to remind me that I’m allowed to celebrate me.

And maybe that’s God’s gentle way of showing me that joy doesn’t always come in the package I expect. He has a way of turning what feels like loss into something better, something whole, something healing. Even in the quiet, He’s working. Even in the shift, He’s blessing. And even when the day doesn’t look like I thought it would, it can still be beautiful.

So here I am, still here, still grateful, still not settling. And maybe, just maybe, a little more certain that the life God is building me will always be more than enough.

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." — Proverbs 31:25

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