This morning, something told me to skip the screen time and get on the water.

I poured my coffee into a Ben & Jerry’s mug – didn’t think much of it at first. But it kind of matched the way I felt. A little off. A little human. A little nostalgic, even.

We recently visited Vermont and toured the Ben & Jerry’s factory as a family. It was one of those unexpectedly meaningful days -fun on the surface, but something deeper underneath. My mom loved to travel. She especially loved local ice cream shops. It was something she appreciated and found joy in. I honestly think it started with her dad, my grandfather loved a place called Charlapps in Buffalo NY. Such good memories from generation to generation.

She passed away last November at 81.

It’s hard to explain what small rituals like that mean until you realize they’re tied to someone you’ve lost. That mug this morning? It wasn’t just about last night’s comfort food or some drift from a healthy path. It reminded me of her. Of joy. Of presence. Of how something simple – like ice cream on a road trip – can be an anchor for connection.

Lately, I’ve been trying to stay on track – move more, eat well, stay mindful. Some days I’m in sync. Others, I’m not. Last night was one of those “not” nights.

But then I got on the paddleboard.

And everything shifted.

The water didn’t care. The sunrise didn’t judge. My breath found a rhythm, and the noise in my head started to quiet. It wasn’t magic, but it sort of was.

There’s something about moving with nature – no earbuds, no tracking app, no agenda- that brings me back to myself. It reminds me I’m not here to be perfect. I’m here to be present. To be real. To remember what matters.

And sometimes what matters most isn’t what we ate, or how we slipped up – it’s that we keep showing up.

Sometimes with a paddle in hand. Sometimes with memories. And sometimes, yes, with a coffee cup that means more than it looks like it should.