New Years Day, like every other day of the year, is unknowable. I like to think that most people are optimistic about it, hopeful for good things to come. But the reality is while some may start off the New Year with big celebrations or wonderful surprises, others walk into it more somber or dealing with heavy blows.
This year, I landed somewhere in the middle.
New Years morning found me sitting in the ER hooked up to an IV. I’m sure you can imagine, this was NOT how I’d wanted or planned to enter 2026. It was a reminder that the days are unknowable, and my hopes don’t always pan out. It was a reminder that my body plays by a very different set of rules for illnesses. I tried to shake it off, remembering that the first week doesn’t dictate the whole year. But the truth is, I was so deeply frustrated.
Even more so, I was weary. Weary of how fragile I am and how one “normal” illness can set me back for weeks. And the Waves of Weariness just kept on coming. I thought back on the past year and noticed all the many ways that weariness had crept in. Through health, through relationships, through my business…
I sat in the weariness, simply noticing. Feeling a little sorry for myself, sure, but more so just wondering how to get my head above the waves.
So, I opened my Bible.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” - Hebrews 10:23
It was just the reminder I needed. My hope is not in my health. My hope is not in my creativity. It isn’t in my relationships, my career, or my finances. It’s in Christ. The hope isn’t a “get out of the waves free” card, but rather a promise of “I’ll swim with you through them.”
I had hoped to start off the year by sending y’all a newsletter full of my Grand Plans. The Super Cool Art I want to make, the Super Thought-Provoking videos I’ll be filming, the Super Amazing, Gwen-worthy adventures I want to have (if ya’ know, ya know.)
But instead, this newsletter is a bit quieter, a bit softer. A bit less extraordinary, but very, very genuine. In a world of highlight reels, I feel that it’s important to share the lower points too, and, more importantly, how we’re finding hope amidst them. The truth is, we’ll all be facing our own unique Waves of Weariness this year, but I pray you have an anchor of hope in them, too.
If you like little sketches like this one, I have a whole BOOK of Meraki Monday sketches for you! And these cozy little sketches are accompanied by lots of poems, thought-prompts, and even a few short essays similar to today’s newsletter. So, if that’s your vibe, you can grab a book for your shelf here. 💛