Everything Under the Sun

I used to chase life like it owed me a prize,
Runnin’ myself weary beneath artificial skies.
Countin’ accomplishments, chasin’ applause,
Mistakin’ exhaustion for purpose and cause.

Everybody yellin’, “Go harder. Go fast.”
Meanwhile my spirit kept whisperin’,
“None of this lasts.”

And ain’t that the lesson Solomon wrote with his pain?
How people build kingdoms just to lose ‘em again.

Everything under the sun…
all this graspin’ and grindin’ and needin’ to run.
All this pressure to prove.
All this fear if we lose.

Meanwhile the soul just wants peace when the day is done.

Ecclesiastes taught me
life ain’t as solid as pride likes to pretend.
One minute you plantin’ beginnings,
next minute you buryin’ ends.

A time to laugh.
A time to mourn.
A time to heal what heartbreak has torn.

A time to hold on.
A time to release.
A time to make war.
A time to choose peace.

And baby…
that book felt honest to me.

Not polished.
Not performative.
Not some fake “good vibes only” philosophy.

Just truth.

Raw enough to admit
that people get tired.
That success can feel empty.
That desires can expire.
That money don’t hug you back when your soul feels weak,
And sometimes the strongest people still can’t sleep.

But somewhere between all them worn-out pages,
I found freedom hidden inside the wisdom of ages.

Because if life really moves in seasons and waves,
Why was I ashamed every time I needed change?

Why was I clingin’
to versions of me
God was quietly askin’ me to release?

Ecclesiastes said:
enjoy your meal.
Love who you love.
Find joy while it’s real.

Walk in the sunlight.
Laugh when you can.
Stop tryin’ to control every inch of the plan.

And whew…
that changed somethin’ in me.

Now I sip green tea slower in the mornin’ light.
Now jazz sound sweeter when my spirit sit right.
Now I thank God for ordinary days too,
Cause peace became precious once I finally lived through…

everything under the sun.

The losses.
The lessons.
The pressure.
The grief.

The seasons that nearly convinced me
I’d never find relief.

But here I am.

Still soft.
Still standing.
Still choosing grace over the need for demanding.

And maybe that’s the real wisdom when everything fades:

Not how loudly you lived…

but how deeply your soul stayed.

A Few Things Helping Me Create a Softer Life

These days, softness has looked less like escape and more like intention.

Slow mornings with green tea.
Walking daily and reconnecting with my body through movement.
Soft jazz, lofi rhythms, and Lauryn Hill playing quietly through the house.
Journaling my thoughts and prayers before the world gets loud again.
Reading Ecclesiastes and finding peace in its honesty about life, seasons, and striving.
Practicing gratitude for ordinary days.
Romanticizing the life, I want while also taking real steps toward it.

Shop my favorite items:

• My favorite journal for slow mornings and reflection
• An Ecclesiastes study guide I’ve been enjoying during this season of slowing down and reconnecting with what truly matters
• Dr. Teal’s magnesium lavender chamomile lotion for restful evenings