Back to Life, Back to Reality

It has been a whirlwind summer and today we all go back to our regular routines. Harper is now in her third week of third grade and tomorrow I begin the final Practicum Clinical part of my graduate school as a student therapist at a counseling center here in Hollywood! It's hard to think that in a few short days I'll be assigned my first clients with the honor (and also responsibility) of becoming their counselor. We had a very short summer as Harper's school got out in late June and went back in mid-August. We all took off for Reno, Nevada in the first week of August for our annual pilgrimage to the Lahontan Reservoir. This was my twelfth adult trip out to the lake and I couldn't help but reflect at all of the memories made on this tiny area of Northern Nevada. When you are out there and take a few minutes to breathe, you see a million stars and I become flooded with millions of thoughts too. I'll never forget the first trip when I was twenty-one and re-meeting the entire O'B family; I was filled with nerves so my sister Crystal and her daughters who were 3 months old and 2 years old came out for support. It became our tradition and in the years after, so many other important people in my life joined in on the fun. When Harper was three months old, her aunt was in a car accident on the way to the lake and I can remember being so frightened. The year Michael Jackson died we all screamed out in disbelief as the news came over the radio. Bocce ball, jet skis, tree swings, boating, tubing, and let's face it LOTS and LOTS of drinking too; it's hard to imagine a meaningful summer and not associate it with that trip. This year, those same girls who were three months and two years came out, except now they are fourteen and sixteen years old and the most vibrant, hilarious, witty, smart, kind, and truly beautiful young women. And while it's been six years that their Mom has been gone, they are so filled with her amazing spirit, zest for life, and man do they look (and sound) just like her too. We all returned to LA together and the girls (my nieces, Harper, and I) went on a Hollywood tour and spent a day at Six Flags before Mom arrived from Detroit. It had been many years since Mom got to see my nieces and she's been battling cancer since the beginning of the year. She's been focused on her recovery and being well enough to enjoy the trip, and man-oh-man did we ever enjoy our time with her. We all spent a day in Santa Monica followed by a long weekend in Palm Springs with friends and family before Harper started school. My poor baby was so exhausted by the 12-day-non-stop-extravaganza that she ended up missing the majority of her first week of school due to a gnarly virus. Grandma Kim (Harper's other grandma and my Mom's best friend of many years) joined us and they took care of their sick girl and Mom and I went to a taping of Will and Grace (sooo fun) and the following night Sabin took her to a movie premiere with Jamie Foxx, Michael B. Jordan, and Bree Larsen! She really got the full Hollywood experience and it was so awesome to see her feeling better and kicking cancer's ass. This was my first birthday celebrated with my Mommy since I turned 17, and it was so sweet and awesome to have everyone together. We played lots of card games, had tons of laughs, and I am still in awe of her fighting and determined spirit. Mom left and a two days later my friend Kellie and her family arrived from New Jersey. Another Hollywood tour day followed by another amazing weekend in Palm Springs (can I just move there already?) happened this weekend, sitting pool side and enjoying the company and presence of those I love so deeply. My mantra this summer has been "BE HERE NOW" and I even had it printed on a piece of art in my living room for a frequent reminder. Next month we've planned a trip to the Poconos to celebrate another great friend and in February I am reuniting with my crew from college after many years of distance and life simply happening. A few lessons I've learned this summer: 1) Sometimes BEING HERE NOW isn't very fun, but it's still important. 2) Try to breathe a few deep breaths and appreciate what is in front of you right now. 3) I am human, I will make mistakes. 4) Mental health is important. Don't skip sessions with your therapist in months filled with so much stuff. 5) Take a few seconds to be GRATEFUL for what you do have. 6) Take a few seconds to be MINDFUL and set INTENTION for what you need. 7) Tell people how much they mean to you and how much you love them. 8) "If you can't love yourself, how the hell you gonna love someone else?"-RuPaul. Onward to regular life, meal prep, working, and getting stuff done.