# Milestones on the Horizon

## Stones Along the Way

Life unfolds like a long walk through open fields. Milestones appear now and then—simple stones set in the earth, marking distance covered. They might be a child's first step, a shared meal after years apart, or the quiet morning of January 15, 2026, when the world feels a little steadier. These markers don't shout for attention. They just stand there, steady reminders that time moves, and so do we.

## The Pause They Offer

What draws us to a milestone isn't the arrival, but the stopping. We bend down, touch the stone, and look back. The path behind reveals patterns we missed in motion: small choices that led here, faces that shaped us, storms we weathered. On this winter day in 2026, I think of my own recent stone—a letter from an old friend, arriving unannounced. It pulled me to pause, to feel gratitude for the years etched in memory. These moments realign us, turning hurried steps into deliberate ones.

## Simple Gifts Forward

Milestones carry no promises of perfection, only gentle nudges ahead. They whisper that progress isn't measured in miles alone, but in the lives touched and lessons held.

- A deeper breath after hardship.
- Hands joined in quiet support.
- Eyes lifted to the next horizon.

*In every milestone, find rest—and the strength to keep walking.*