THE LONG WAY BACK

Episode 1

Hmm… where do I even start?

It feels a little strange being here again.I’ve come back to this blog a couple of times over the years, mostly just to look around. I’d read some of my old posts, laugh at myself, smile at the things I used to care about, and remember the girl who wrote them.

Sometimes I’d think, I should really start writing here again.

And then… I wouldn’t. lol

It’s funny how you can return to a place that hasn’t changed much and realize just how much you have changed.

The last time I was actively writing here, I was a 200-level accounting student.

A 200-level student!!!

Now I’m sitting here in Canada, with an MBA, working at an accounting firm, wondering how on earth time moved this fast.

So much has happened since I last wrote here.

Some beautiful things.

Some really difficult things.

Some things I never imagined I’d experience.

And somewhere along the way, I stopped blogging.

So, where have I been?

Honestly?

Life happened.

I simply lost the motivation to enjoy some of the things I used to love. Covid happened, I lost my mum. I lost my grandmother. I experienced grief in the most humbling way, and somewhere in all of that, I lost a part of myself too.

I just got tired.

I just… stopped.

But here’s the funny thing.

I never really stopped writing.

I just stopped writing here.

I kept diaries. I wrote letters to myself. I wrote in random notebooks and books lying around. I wrote things I never intended anyone else to read.

Writing stayed with me, even when blogging didn’t.

Maybe I needed it that way for a while.

Maybe some things needed to exist privately before I could ever feel ready to share them again.

And wow… a lot has changed.

Life has moved.

I’ve moved.

I’ve grown.

And apparently, I’ve also accumulated stories. 😂

I’ve loved, lost, and been through the trenches, a whole lover girl like me, o chim! 😂

I’ve made new friends. I’ve grown closer to some people. I’ve also realized that I’ve outgrown some people.

And yes, I’ll tell you all about this later.

Because there are definitely stories there.

I’ve learned so much about life, love, career, family, friendships, grief, adulthood, and even the gym… lol.

Especially the gym.

But that is a conversation for another day.

There’s a lot to unpack.

And I think I’m finally ready to start dissecting some of it.

And through it all, God.

I can’t talk about how much my life has changed without talking about God.

Because honestly, when I look back, I can see His goodness in so many parts of my story.In the big things and the little things.In answered prayers. Unexpected opportunities. Moments when I needed strength and somehow found it. Doors that opened, doors that closed, and even things I didn’t understand at the time.

And especially through the hardest seasons.

Over the years, God has continually reminded me that I am not doing this life alone.

And when I think about where I am now compared to where I was when I last wrote here, I can’t help but be grateful.

Not because everything has been perfect.

It absolutely hasn’t.

But through the good, the bad, the confusing, the beautiful and the heartbreaking, God has been faithful.

And that’s something I want to carry with me into this new chapter.

So… why am I really back?

A little while ago, I stumbled across someone’s blog.

And the way they wrote reminded me of exactly why I loved blogging in the first place.

It was natural. Unfiltered.

It felt like you could actually hear the person’s voice through their writing.And something about that stayed with me.

I thought about how much I used to love writing.

I don’t think I’ve felt that inspired or motivated to write in a very long time.

It was like someone had reminded me of a part of myself I had forgotten about.

And suddenly, I wanted to come back here.

Not because I have everything figured out.

I absolutely do not.

But because I think I finally understand that this was never supposed to be a place where I came to present a perfect version of myself.

It was always just a place to share my thoughts.

Tell stories.

Laugh at myself.

Make sense of things.

Document life as I’m living it.

What does writing mean to me now?

Writing has always been an outlet for me.

Sometimes, just getting the words out is enough, And in my humble opinion, it’s way easier than talking.

Maybe that’s why I’ve always found my way back to writing, even when I wasn’t writing here

But I do care about being read.

I want people to see me through my words.

Not just the polished version. Not just the “everything is going great” version.

Me.The thoughts. The stories. The lessons. The confusion. The random observations. The things I’m still figuring out.

I want to connect with people on a deeper level, and hopefully, help someone else connect with themselves too.

Maybe you’ll read something and think, Wait, I’ve felt this too.

Maybe something will make you laugh.

Maybe something will make you pause.

Maybe something will make you look at your own life a little differently.

That’s the kind of connection I want.

Because I think that’s what Thousand Words has always been about for me.

Not just an audience.

Connection.

So, what now?

Okay, this is getting too longgg. 😂

I hope to be more consistent here.

Maybe I’ll do a weekly post and fill you guys in on all the things I’ve been learning, experiencing and thinking about.

I’m not entirely sure yet.

But I’m starting.

And I’m hoping to be consistent on this journey.

I don’t want to put too much pressure on what Thousand Words has to become.

I just want it to be a place where I can show up, write honestly, and let the words take me wherever they need to go.

And lol… I’m actually so excited and giggling knowing that one day my 15-year-old will probably read this.

🤣🤣🤣

Omg, Sope.

Focus.

I’ve decided to leave most of my old posts up, even though some of them make me want to hide under my bed. They’re a little embarrassing, a little funny, and very much a reflection of who I was then. And honestly, I think that girl deserves to be remembered too.

Please leave a comment and let me know you were here! And if you’d like to follow along on this journey, don’t forget to subscribe.

Till I speak to you through my thousand words next time.

Stay beautiful and hydrated. 🤍

5:20pm