Pillars.

There are things in life that hold us up, even when we feel like falling down. Here are mine, in no particular order.

Family. My parents and my brother, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. These are the people. These are the ones that love me, not just because of the shared DNA, but because they have seen me grow and live and love. These are the ones that I cannot do life without, because they support me, loudly, in all aspects of my life. From school right now to Wildflower Reflections by Elle Renee as a brand in the future, these are the ones who have my back. They hold me up.

Friends. New and old, from school and work and church. These are the people who choose to love me every day even though we don’t share an ounce of DNA. These are the ones who listen to me laugh and cry, see me smile and make me roll my eyes (especially at their lame jokes). These ladies and gentlemen are the ones who I turn to when I am having a bad day, a good day, or just any day. There is a huge, wondrous amount of trust that I have built with these people, and I tell them everything. They support me.

Faith. When I was younger, I went to church on and off and this pattern has continued throughout my young adult life. At the moment, I’m off, but it’s not because of my lack of faith. It’s because I have social anxiety and haven’t worked myself up to get to a service yet. Jesus saved me, just last year, and He has been saving me every single day since then. Without my God, I honestly don’t know if I would be here today. That’s hard to admit, but it is so, so true. I can do all through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). My Lord lifts me up.

It seems important for me to be writing about the good things I have in my life right now because, to be honest, I’m not doing well. I am writing this blog from my couch, at home, with my dog lying next to me. I missed class today and I will miss again tomorrow, but I need these couple days with my family. I need them to remind me that I am loved, especially now, as I find myself wandering down some dark roads, emotionally. This is not a ploy for attention; I don’t want to make anyone worry. I have promised you all that I would be open on this journey- so here I am, giving you my all. -Elle