26.

25 was filled with loss, and 26 I discovered the lessons. I celebrated my day in Rishikesh, India at the abandoned Beatles ashram. This year held so much for me. In India I studied marma massage, Ayurveda, palmistry, and reiki. I overcame my fear of water water rafting and rafted down the sacred Ganges river. I journeyed to Nepal where I cried every day for a week. I walked around the Boudha Stupa, praying, for 6 hours a day "om mani padme hum". My heart was broken by the loss of my father and it was here that I really dove into that sadness. I returned to Sri Lanka for sunshine and smiles, making my way to Arugam Bay to slide perfect waves at Main Point. It was here that I met Nir, Mimi, Pontus, Patu, Uthu, Situ, Malcom, Gerrit and Marina, and Markus and Kelly...my family, for life. I surfed for hours in the morning and played backgammon for all the hours of the afternoon. We drank iced coffees at Ravis and had dance parties in our living room. I fell in love and for the first time in my life understood that you can love someone and not hold on with two hands. I still have this love in my heart today....

I came home to south jersey to get back to the summer grind. I taught full power, packed-to-the-max yoga classes and played music in the evenings. I taught my first ever yoga teacher training, and realized my power as a teacher. I healed others with Thai massage and reiki, and started healing myself by embarking on an intense candida cleanse. I wouldn't have been able to do it without the support and love of Kelly Croce and lorie rice, and I'm finally beginning to feel better after 10 months. I managed to carve out an afternoon of free time on Sunday afternoons for family beach day on sumner ave and even got away a few times to see my friends. Bridget and Erika had babies, Kaitlin and Brian and Samantha and Joe got married. Gina and Megan got engaged and my Nana passed away. Ah, life...moving so quickly! I started doing yoga retreats and lead powerful and amazing retreats in Italy and Mexico. I led workshops in key west, and when we weren't doing HipHop yoga, I was dancing with drag queens and overcoming yet another fear- getting scuba dive certified. I found my way back to Sri Lanka, where I feel completely at home. I met yet another amazing group of people who have loved and nourished me, and I am further reassured that home is wherever my heart is. One of my greatest accomplishments of 26 was starting Golden Buddha Yoga, under which I'm running retreats to heal and empower and my own teacher trainings to explore the soul and understand how to exist in your ultimate truth.

The most amazing revelation of 26 was that someone you love can die, and you keep on living. But not just living, thriving. Every day I live my life not only for myself, but also in dedication to my Dad. I feel each experience holds deeper meaning, every hug is felt more and every meal that much more delicious....every day, every second, every breath - a blessing and a celebration. It was through my Dads death that (this year) I discovered my strength. I can, and will, do anything and everything that my soul desires....the path is clear and there's nothing that I cannot overcome.

And through all of this you have been with me! How lucky am I, to have people who love and nourish me so? I write this from Sri Lanka, on my last day of being 26, and though I'm sitting alone, I hold all of you in my heart...those here, there and passed. Thank you all for making 26 such an amazing year....I am already smiling for the joy and abundance that 27 will hold!