# Pausing at Life's Milestones

## Stones Along the Path

Milestones are simple markers on a long road—quiet stones set by time, noting distance traveled. They appear in a child's first steps, a job well done, or the quiet ache of loss turned to memory. On this December day in 2025, as the year folds into winter's hush, I think of them not as trophies, but as breaths taken in the midst of walking. They remind us: you have come this far.

## The Gift of Stopping

We rush past them often, eyes fixed ahead, but the real wisdom lies in pausing. Stand still at the stone. Feel the ground beneath your feet. Recall the storms weathered, the hands that helped along the way. 

- A shared laugh with a friend during hard days.
- The small bloom of confidence after doubt.
- Moments of ordinary joy, like sunlight on fresh snow.

These pauses weave meaning into the miles. Without them, the road blurs into endless motion.

## Carrying the Stones Forward

Each milestone becomes a weight in your pocket—not heavy, but steadying. They shape how we step into tomorrow, turning vague hopes into grounded plans. As 2025 ends, I carry mine like old friends: lessons in patience, sparks of unexpected kindness. The next marker waits, but it's the path between that builds us.

*In the quiet of milestones, we find not just where we've been, but who we are becoming.*