8 miles.
One intentional walk.
A head full of gratitude.
Tonight I set out with a clear purpose: to think about what’s right, what’s going well, and what I’m grateful for in this life I get to live.
The list was long — really long — but right at the top? My people.
My family. My kids. My partner. My friends. My followers. My supporters. You.
Along the way, I crossed paths with many souls — some in person, some through phone calls. But the last person I met tonight was someone special: a relatively new friend and peer. A gentleman without a home, living on the streets of Bellingham.
He’s older, his body worn down by disability and chronic pain. He’s navigating addiction, alcohol, and deep scars from a life that’s been relentlessly hard. You could see in his posture, in the way he moved, that tonight wasn’t easy for him.
As I approached, ready to sit on the bench near him, he looked up and — without a word — lifted his hands to his chest and formed a heart. 
And just like that… mine melted. 
We talked. We made a small game plan for the things he needs to take care of. But darkness was falling, and his priority was finding somewhere safe to sleep. We said goodbye.
I may not see him for days, weeks, maybe months. But when our paths cross again, we’ll trade smiles and share a moment of connection — the kind that doesn’t fade with time.
Walking home, I felt it all over again — how lucky I am to be here, in this life. I’m grateful beyond words for the people in my world, and tonight, that gratitude felt bigger than the miles beneath my feet.