7: A Letter to the Quiet Heroes of My Year

This year stretched me in ways I never saw coming. There were moments I felt heavy, unsure, and more than a little lost. Moments when the world felt overwhelmingly loud, and others when it felt impossibly quiet. But through all of it, something incredibly beautiful happened… people showed up for me in big ways, small ways, loud ways, gentle ways, seen and unseen.

So this is my thank you letter to them.

To my incredible parents, thank you for giving up your empty-nester peace to welcome me and my two dogs back home when we had nowhere else to land. The love, support, and unwavering encouragement you’ve shown me this year is something I know not everyone is lucky enough to receive. I am endlessly grateful.

To my four siblings, thank you for dropping everything to help me through one of the scariest, most emotional days of my life. The joy, comfort, and genuine happiness I feel when I’m with you is indescribable. I am so blessed to be surrounded by four of the most caring, compassionate humans I’ve ever known.

To my favorite people to spend weekends with at Log Road, thank you for the laughter, the games, the conversations, and for simply making me feel welcome. Those weekends have been some of the brightest parts of this year, and your inclusion means more than you know.

To the two best friends who share my music taste, I truly couldn’t have gotten through this year without you. Experiencing concerts, trips, and full-on fangirling with the two of you has brought out pieces of me I didn’t even know were there. You understand me in ways no one else does, and I love you both deeply.

To my favorite friend in Findlay, even though life keeps us apart most days, your kindness, friendship, and contagious laugh have carried me through more than you realize. Your support, especially from a distance, has meant the world.

To my college friend who married the love of her life this year, being part of your special day was such a gift. You’ve stood by me through my hardest moments, and you show up for me when absolutely no one else does. I’m so grateful for you.

To my favorite person in Columbus, you’ve been my supervisor, my coworker, and my friend, and watching you chase your dreams has inspired me more than you know. It has been such a blessing to learn from you and grow alongside you.

To my musical family: our director, assistant director, and all the kids, being part of something bigger than myself has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I’m grateful every single day to be a part of this beautiful, chaotic, life-giving community.

To my doggie daycare coworkers (and friends), thank you for keeping me sane in the midst of chaos. You make me laugh, you support me, and you somehow make work feel less like work. You’re truly the best.

To my dogs. My whole world. The reason I get up on mornings when I don’t want to. Their love is the most constant, immeasurable blessing of all.

Lastly, thank you (yes, you), reading this right now, for being part of my journey. When I started She Lives Fearless this year, I didn’t really know what to expect. I didn’t know if anyone would read it, relate to it, or feel anything at all from the words I put out into the world. But your feedback, your messages, and your support have meant more to me than you’ll ever know.

This year, I hope you take a moment to think about the people who impacted you, helped you, or blessed you in big ways or small ones. Tell them. Thank them. Hug them a little tighter. When you really pause and reflect on the people who held you up this year, you realize just how lucky you truly are.

As I’ve been writing more this year, I’ve realized how important it is to pause and reflect on the people who carry us through our hardest moments and celebrate our best ones. That’s really what this blog is about for me: slowing down long enough to notice the goodness in our lives, the quiet ways we’re held, and the people who make us feel a little less alone in the world.

So as we step into the holiday season, I hope you take a moment to think about the ones who showed up for you. The people who listened, encouraged, supported, or simply stood beside you when you needed it most. Tell them what they mean to you. Thank them for the little things and the big things. Let them know they mattered.

Because when you sit still for a moment and look back at all the people who helped you through this year, in loud ways, quiet ways, intentional ways, and accidental ones, you begin to see just how surrounded by love you really are. And that’s something worth holding onto.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Here’s to progress, not perfection.

Jordan