# Milestones on the Quiet Road

## Stones Along the Way

Milestones are simple markers, like stones set by a roadside or posts in an open field. They don't shout or demand attention. They just stand there, etched with numbers that whisper: *you've come this far*. In life, we pass them in work, family, quiet personal shifts—a first word from a child, a project finished after late nights, a morning when grief feels a little lighter. These points remind us progress isn't always grand; it's the steady piling of days.

## The Gift of Stopping

We rush by too often, eyes on the horizon. But pausing at a milestone changes everything. It lets you feel the ground underfoot, hear the wind in the trees, notice the people walking beside you. On a drive through empty countryside, I once stopped at mile 100, just to breathe. The road stretched both ways, equal in length, but the weight was in what lay behind. That moment turned fatigue into quiet thanks. Milestones invite this: a breath, a look back, a nod to the effort that brought you here.

## Carrying the Path Forward

These markers don't end the journey; they fuel it. Knowing you've covered ground builds trust in your steps ahead. No need for maps or grand plans—just the next stone, visible when you reach it.

*In the soft light of December 15, 2025, may your next milestone find you present and kind to the road.*