If finding community feels hard lately, you are not alone.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. We live in a world where community can feel like something we know exists but is unreachable to us. And if you’ve felt that, I want you to know—it’s not just you.

Recently someone I knew passed away, and the news stopped me in my tracks. For a moment, the world stopped.

While I watch friends celebrate with family PJs photos and Elf of the Shelf, I’m afraid my husband would not put on matching PJs with me, and our pup, Bentley, may just eat that little Elf.

If I could go back and talk to the version of me who felt lost, here’s what I’d say…