Dear Diary: My Why

Dear Diary,

Today feels like a good day to tell you My Why; why I started this blog.

Somewhere between folding laundry while stopping the dog from knocking over my piles and trying not to intervene while the 3 and 5 year old are fighting, (or are they playing?)....it hit me: I need a space. Not just a quiet corner, but a place to reflect, laugh, and maybe even cry a little. Somewhere to be just… me.

I wear a thousand hats—wife, mom, human, dance and theatre instructor, list maker ("can you add this to my list, mom?"), animal wrangler, housekeeper... you name it. Most days, I forget where I put my phone and sometimes, where I put myself. People think I have it together, I like to think I have it together. But honestly, I don’t know if I do.

This diary isn’t about giving advice, it's not even seeking advice. It’s a place to express the thoughts I could keep to myself but choose not to. It's a canvas for the narratives playing out in my mind. Yet, they aren't actually stories; they are the real moments I'm living, experiencing and maybe even trying to understand. It’s for those nights when I feel like I’m failing and the mornings I rise up anyway. It's for helping me live my best life, helping me see I am enough.

As a child I filled numerous journals and diaries with my rants, raves, and typical wannabe emo woes. I have always loved to write, which is one of the things I "lost" when I became the wearer of all these hats. (To be fair, I also wanted to have my own TV show - called The Della Show, which would become Della Live after I married Emeril Lagasse. 😂 IYKYK)

But I digress... ​​​my hope is that if someone finds comfort here—if someone reads a post and whispers, or screams, “me too”—we will find a connection. We will be able to create our own village of unapologetic, authentic humans. We can be real, we can laugh, cry, drink all the coffee and/or wine as we navigate this journey without feeling alone.

I suppose this is just a brief explanation of my why. I am certain more and more reasons will unfold as this journey unfolds, and boy am I excited!

Here’s to the magic, the mess, and everything in between. Thanks for listening, Diary. We’ve got stories to share!

Love,

Della

PS: if you have ever wanted your own space to reflec, like this little corner I’ve carved out her, I’ve created printable morning and evening diaries in my Etsy shop. They’re simple, gentle, and designed to help you pause, breathe, and write your story too. You can find them here.