A Mountain Top Moment: Finding Connection After a Year of Solitude

We made it through a rough year, friends. And I want to pull back the curtain a bit so you can get to know the person behind the artist.

For years, I haven’t bothered decorating for the holidays. It’s just me, so why go through the effort? That thinking kept me in a comfortable but isolating routine—spending 98% of my life alone, rarely making plans to go anywhere. But here’s the truth: that’s not healthy for any of us. We’re wired for connection.

This Christmas changed everything.

I found myself in the mountains of North Georgia, in a house perched on a hillside with my family. I claimed the bunk room downstairs (yes, an actual bunk bed), and for the first time in years, I felt something shift.

We lived simply and intentionally—watching movies by the outdoor fireplace, playing ridiculous games, and tackling what turned out to be a brutally difficult puzzle. (Full disclosure: my daughter did most of the actual puzzle-solving while I played the role of “piece organizer.”) We ordered Christmas dinner from a local spot days in advance. Everything was easy. Everything was enough.

The adventures pushed us too. We hiked the steep trails at the Chimp Sanctuary—and I mean steep, grabbing trees for support as we climbed. We explored Rock City and descended into Ruby Falls to stand before an underground waterfall that felt absolutely magical.

But here’s what surprised me most: I didn’t realize how desperately I needed that drastic change of scenery until I was there, breathing mountain air in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the people I love most. Those angels in my life lifted me up in ways I didn’t know I needed.

Your Turn

I know getting away isn’t realistic for everyone—travel is expensive and life is complicated. So here’s my challenge (for both of us): start small. Walk around your block. Slow down enough to notice your neighbor’s flower garden. Stop and chat. Create new connections right where you are.

This is my reminder too. I can be stubborn and stuck in my routines, so I’m committing to getting out more and meeting new people. After all, I’m not asking you to do anything I’m not willing to do myself.

Here’s to more connection, more adventure, and more moments that surprise us with healing