Sometimes, when I look back at old photos of myself, I feel like I’ve given little pieces of myself away. Jobs do that. Marriage does that. Friends, church, and family do that. Everything about living, in some way, feels like it shaves me down a little.

I don’t think that feeling is unique — losing little bits of yourself or being slowly shaped into a new animal by the passage of time.

Some may say it’s an improvement. You learn to blend in. Sometimes, you learn to succeed. Sometimes, it’s just a way to survive.

Purple is a piece that I feel like I gave away.

As a child, I loved the color (mostly lavender but, I like all the shades).

As an adult, I have so little purple in my life.

At times, I’ve reclaimed it. I’ve even dyed my hair purple a few times.

When my brother got me this purple dot notebook for my daily bullet journal, I felt a moment of reconnection. I’ve actually been using a purple pen in it (which feels extra). But, it’s also been delightful.