another trip around the sun

reflections on presence, gratitude, and the extraordinary in the everyday.

Today I turn 49—and my heart feels impossibly full.

Over the last couple of weeks, a few friends reached out asking what I wanted to do for my birthday, so I selfishly did the only thing that made sense to me: I devised a plan to gather all of my favorite humans in one room. And somehow, that’s exactly what happened. The gift wasn’t the celebration, it was simply being together. It reminded me that the real richness of life is found in the people who walk beside us. And how lucky am I to get to walk beside so many incredible, loving and caring humans?

Last night I watched Come See Me in Good Light—a documentary on the life of Colorado’s poet laureate, Andrea Gibson, whose passing still feels like a collective ache. Their final years were spent steeped in presence, in noticing the smallest moments, in loving fiercely and honestly. It moved me in a way that shifted something in my chest. Perhaps because, over the last decade of my life, losing people who meant so much to me, I’ve felt an inclination to practice greater presence.

If there’s anything 49 years have taught me, it’s this: Happiness isn’t something we find “out there.” Fulfillment doesn’t arrive from achievement, in the form of another person, romance, or the next destination. It grows from within, from choosing to live awake, create from truth, to love without armor, and to stay close to the things that matter.

So here’s my birthday wish for all of us:
May we lean into our lives with more intention.
Take stock of what matters most.
Lead with integrity.
Love with our whole hearts.
And remember that this ordinary, extraordinary life is happening right now— in every breath, every conversation, every fleeting, beautiful moment.

Here’s to the moments that shape us.
Here’s to being here for all of it. ❤️

© Alana Foy 2025