August 4, 2018

Today was fair day, arguably my favorite place and time of the year. I’m not sure what it is: the smells, the food, the company, my birthday, or all the things in one place but even after a month Europe, the fair did not disappoint. I’ve been going for years and it never has.

Today I have been reminded of the things I love and to embrace them, just like I do with the fair each year. Because so often in life things change on us. Sometimes good changes like my Nick joining my life (though he couldn’t join us at the fair this year). My move to Chicago and my amazing job. Also, the resurgence of the fanny pack, now called a “hip pack”, see photos for my latest purchase. 🙂 Amazon taking over Whole Foods seems like a great thing. However I have found many unwelcome changes lately too, friendships changing or being pushed aside due to a busy life, a few times seemingly without a second thought until too late. Having to have really hard conversations and hurting someone’s feelings but knowing it’s still the right thing to do. Family changes and a loved one leaving us way too soon; someone that is so right in life, so good at it, really living life and loving well, and it gets taken away.

So many changes.

But the fair, it doesn’t really change. I know where to find my favorite corn on the cob 🌽, corn dog, and cheese curds. I have the schedule of the racing pigs memorized. I know if no one else wanted to go my dad and stepmom would still make time to take me and stay to do all the little things. It’s seeing friends in unexpected places and knowing unexpected and weird things happen all around, like my cow dress but no one really cares. There will always be pigs and cows, sheep baa-ing and goats yelling. It seems like such a simple thing but there is a beautifulness to it.

In the last month I’ve lost a really close relative but in knowing him and losing him, I’ve learned to not lose any of the small moments, not to lose opportunities to be kind, to give a smile even if you don’t feel like it and to always be nice.