Spring has a way of waking everything up, the earth, the senses, and something deep inside the heart. I was reminded of that recently when I traveled across the state dipping just a little into South Carolina to attend a dear friend’s child’s wedding. And yes… being invited to a friend’s child’s wedding does make you pause and think, how did we get here so fast?
It was a seven-hour drive, and for once, I wasn’t behind the wheel. I got to simply be. Watching the landscape unfold, to take in the shifting colors, and to let the journey settle into me. As we drove, the distant outline of the North Carolina mountains appeared, quietly calling to me. I was so close to the Blue Ridge a place that always tugs at my heart.
The winding roads felt almost ceremonial themselves, gently leading us toward the celebration ahead. Along the way, azaleas were bursting into bloom, and the trees were just beginning to awaken. Soft greens and golden yellows filtering sunlight in that unmistakable way only spring can manage. In just a few weeks, those same leaves will stretch wide and full, casting cool shade and offering relief from the heat of June. But right now, everything felt fresh, alive, and full of possibility.
I found myself completely inspired by the colors and vibrancy around me. Somewhere along that drive, ideas that had been quietly waiting came to life. I began sketching out a collection of necklaces in my mind, and by the time we arrived, I had strung together seven or eight bracelets. Each piece holding a bit of that journey, that light, that energy. The hours passed in what felt like a moment.
And then, the wedding.
We gathered beneath a canopy of beautiful flowers, surrounded by love in its purest form. It’s hard to describe that feeling of being held in a space where joy, hope, and connection it's almost tangible. Watching two people begin their life together, witnessing the love of family and friends wrapping around them… it fills you up in a way that lingers long after the moment has passed.
It reminded me why we do what we do. Why we create, why we gather, why we celebrate. It’s all about connection. About love. About marking these fleeting, meaningful moments in time.
I am so grateful to have been there. To hug old friends, to dance with my partner, to laugh, to pause, and to truly feel it all.
This was more than a trip. More than a wedding.
It was a reminder of how beautiful life can be.