Today marks four years since I lost my Dad. In the days and months following his unexpected and untimely death, I felt some of the deepest pain I wasn’t prepared for. I had such bad anxiety that even the simplest of tasks seemed to take so much energy. During this process, two of my friends gifted me this necklace that reads HOPE. If we’ve spent a lot of time together, you have probably seen me wear this many times. It became a part of my identity and became my "safety blanket" in a way. The necklace is from The Giving Keys and the purpose is to embrace the word then pass it along to someone else who needs the message more. I thought I would never give up this necklace, I always felt that I wasn’t ready - but then I thought, "when will I ever really be ready?" So this summer for my 30th birthday, I treated myself to a photoshoot to celebrate just how far I’ve come in life. I wore the necklace to the shoot then left the necklace in Denver on a park bench for someone else to find. I hope that necklace brings someone else as much comfort as it brought me during some of my darkest times. If you’ve made it this far, I challenge you to pay it forward to someone else who may need it more than you right now. And if you’re suffering through your own pain, know that you’re not alone and I’m happy to be a listening ear. Lastly, hold your loved ones tight because you never know what tomorrow will bring. Miss you, Dad.
-- Brittany
