Well friends, I’ve had a revelation.

I recently took a work trip to Seattle, and while many say they never see anything outside of the meeting room and their hotel while on business travel, I refuse to take a six hour plane ride to see nothing but four walls in a different zip code.

So every chance that I could get away, I took it to go explore.

One evening I rushed out of a meeting to get to the space needle before dinner. I arrived at sunset and road the elevator to the observation deck with a few friendly couples.

It was honestly the most romantic time to be there, with the epitome of the perfect sunset over the water. I found myself quickly becoming the go-to couples photographer, being asked to capture this moment in their relationship.

Now, this could have easily turned into a single girl, woe-is-me moment, but instead, (here comes the revelation) I found myself feeling...HAPPY.

Happy? Since when is that an emotion when I feel I’m the only single person in the room? How can I feel good when I’m missing out on yet another romantic moment with someone I love?

But indeed, not a single negative emotion came. And it wasn’t until the Uber ride home that I realized how upset past-me would have been with the situation. How quickly she would have lost out on such a magical, awe-inspiring moment feeling sorry for herself.

I tell you this story to say that if you’re anything like I used to be, feeling sorry for yourself that you’re single, feeling left out of the romantic moments, caring not at all to experience anything on your own, there is hope, and you can come to love and experience life right where you are.

It isn’t always easy, and it’s been a process of growing up and into someone who can see the magic in life even when she’s alone, who chooses to see the good even when it isn’t what she pictured. But, finally, here we are.

I hope I can inspire you today to see and enjoy the moments of this life for what they are, and not be blinded to their beauty by what you hoped they’d be. I pray you’ll decide to make that choice.

After all, life doesn’t stop while we are waiting, and it is so worth living. I beg you not to miss it.