I don’t know what I wanted this post to be and I’m sure this isn’t it. It’s been almost a year since I’ve posted anything to this blog and the longer I waited the harder it got to figure out what to say. I’ve wanted to make a change on here for a while now, but I haven’t been able to figure out the direction I want to go. Someone else ripped the Band-Aid off and lit the proverbial fire under my butt to make this change happen. Once I thought of the name “Emily is” everything seemed to fall into place.

I’ve wanted this blog to be more than knitting or more than food. I’ve wanted this to be a place where I can celebrate my passions and learn new hobbies. The last year has been a journey in discovery, and the best part about all of this is that I’m getting back in touch with parts of myself that I forgot existed.

That’s what “Emily is” is for. It allows me to create and explore new passions. To get in touch with myself on a deeper level—something I haven’t done for a long time.

I wanted to celebrate that I’m exercising again, reading new books, and excited to get into the kitchen. These might seem like minor things, but these minor victories in rediscovering myself add up. These are silly things like having my sourdough starter active and bubbly or knitting projects with excitement instead of obligation. It felt like I was taking steps to get back to my true self. 

After all that excitement COVID-19 hit and now it all seems shortsighted. As much as we want life to continue ‘as normal’ it’s hard and being excited seems out of place. My desire to talk about some of my recent trips seem wrong while I’m holed away at home. Posting recipes seems impractical unless they’re full of pantry staples that won’t require a trip to the grocery store. And don’t even get me started on posts about clothes when I haven’t even worn real pants more than once in the last two weeks.

It’s hard not to live in fear. Not so much for myself, but for my loved ones. I want my family to stay safe. I want to take my parents, who have already had a heck of a year health-wise, my siblings, and my friends in a bubble to keep them away from everything. If only it were that easy.

I’m not sure where to go from here, but living in fear isn’t an option. Maybe writing about past travels is a way to escape for all of us or sharing the recipes I find cathartic to bake will bring comfort to others. Life is not the same as it was two months ago, and that’s scary. This is a season of change for all of us and embracing what brings us joy can also bring us comfort.

So for now, I hope what I share on here can help to bring some joy and comfort to all of you going through the same thing.