Lives Lived

Gabrielle set her sights high and her bar higher. She craved the feeling/sense of accomplishment that came with professional accolades and she sacrificed too much to attain them for fear that if she did not continue her progress, she would be stripped of her legitimacy, left naked, exposed, and vulnerable in a climate she could not control or adequately prepare for. The idea of success was her armor, the path to it her charge, and the praise she received from her missions only reinforced its utility and value. She carried with her a zeal and inner strength informed by the trauma, fortitude, sacrifice, and achievements of her predecessors. Along the way she lost her innate sense of self and connection to simple joys; her energy focused on serving others and driving forward at all costs. The costs were great. We honor her memory and mark her steps as lessons learned.

She is survived by her light. Her words and truths hold and share her legacy. Her shell has been renewed, refilled by a core motivation toward knowledge and experiences. She wears her fear openly now, she leans into her curiosity, and basks in her wonder. She moves slower, not out of frailty, but intention. She ponders longer and lets the universe lead her to decisions. She connects to others and maintains roles in supporting those who need it, but she sacrifices less. There is no need. There is no journey for the approval or acclaim she has already earned and awarded to herself. Her ambitions have changed. She’s driven towards the sun and wind. She’s at home at sea. She seeks and finds solace in the quiet and the colorful. She’s defined not by labor but by breath and intersection, by ideas and pen strokes.

We’re all made of many versions of ourselves; nourish the elements that fuel your core.