🌟Blessed to have another birthday! 🌟

Deb & I

Perspective is everything

I wrote this piece at the beginning of March in anticipation of all the messages I would get on social media on my birthday:

As my birthday approaches and I know I’ll get a zillion messages, I thought I would take a moment to share some important truths that I’ve learned in the last 8 years or so. These profound learning started when this beloved friend Deb Hubsmith was diagnosed with AML.

Her illness & death abruptly woke me up to life. Since her death 5.5 years ago I still can’t mention her name in a public video without shedding tears. The bond we had for 19 years of being BFF is woven into the roots of my being. Her death taught me to live which is a big reason why I align my mind everyday to face the shadows & find beauty in adversity. ✨🙌🏽✨

There are some of us who have faced death multiple times & are the rare anomaly that are thriving with stage 4 cancer. I see a common thread among all of us: we see this diagnosis as a gift and choose an attitude of gratitude, joy and love instead of buying into the fear that can consume one with cancer. It’s a daily choice.

(This is not easy. I’d like to note there are many who do this and still cancer persists!) If this doesn’t make sense to you read ‘Radical Remission’!

Here you go:

• Live each moment as though it’s your last as no one is guaranteed tomorrow.
• Don’t waste a moment. If you want to do something DO IT! Life is meant to be lived.
• Happiness is your birthright
• Enjoy your vibrant healthy body, please don’t take your inherent health for granted. It is your biggest and most sacred asset.
• If you want to spend time with someone don’t be shy, be vulnerable, be brave - you never know when that persons time might be.
• Comparing yourself to others is a waste of time. You are uniquely you, there is no one else like you! Instead of striving to emulate others, be the MOST AWESOME YOU that you can be!
• Dance in the rain
• Eat dessert first
• Live without fear
• Don’t get so caught up in petty fears & neurosis. You are gorgeous. You are perfect just as you are. Don’t compare yourself to airbrushed models. You are a goddess! Sexiness comes from confidence, not from perfect thighs. Love your body as it is!
• Enjoy life. Don’t get so caught up in societal stories of who you ‘should be’ or what you ‘should have accomplished’ by a certain age or what you ‘should have’. It’s bullshit. The most important thing is the happiness & peace in your soul. That is worth more than anything!
• You create your reality in every moment. What are you choosing NOW? Your thoughts are the perimeter of your reality.

♥️ I love you all. Many of you have held me through the darkest moments, sent encouraging messages, donated to my multiple fundraisers and been my light when I could not see it. Thank you for buoying me up when the shadows threatened to eclipse my vision! ✨🙏🏽✨

I have learned when one of us suffers, we all do. We are a united collective.

Deb was a powerful, inspiring force of nature. She taught me how to walk this path. I was diagnosed almost one year after her death. I believe the grief of her passing broke my heart in two & allowed space for the cancer to grow. 💔 In this pain of her passing there has been brilliant growth. This has been the most powerful gift.

Like Leonard Cohen wrote, “It is in the cracks of the heart where the light gets in.”

Please don’t forget to celebrate your one short & precious life. Your life, your body is a gift.

I am SO grateful to have another birthday!!!!! I honestly didn’t know if I would make it to last years birthday so this years birthday is HUGE!!! I am celebrating big time!

Love & aloha to y’all,

Island horsegirl Tara
♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️

To read more of my crazy ramblings, beautiful Kaua’i photos, see goofy dancing videos & lovely videos of my silly, gorgeous animals please check out my Instagram page.

Then there’s the YouTube channel, Facebook page for my healing journey and MY NEWLY REVAMPED WIND HORSE SANCTUARY website that I’m so proud of!

Feel free to leave a comment if you’re so inspired. I LOVE to hear how this lands with all of you!