January 5th, I turned 50.
Fifty trips around the sun—and I still can’t quite believe it.
I just returned from a glorious vacation with my family, and the only word that fits is sabbatical. We went to Bora Bora for the first time and discovered a place that truly allows us to unwind, restore, and relax. The sun was relentless, the people were genuine, and the pace of life demanded presence.
With limited access to the outside world, we put our devices down and leaned fully into family time. We laughed. We rested. And for the first time in a long time, I had uninterrupted space to reflect—to look inward without distraction.
I took my time revisiting the seasons of my life. I laughed and cried, remembering.
In my 20s, I learned the hard way.
I learned about struggle, love, heartbreak, and independence. I learned how to live alone—even if it meant surviving on ramen and SpaghettiOs. I learned what it meant to endure trauma, including being assaulted and later identifying a man in a police lineup in Chicago. I learned resilience before I knew the word for it.
I learned the old-school way—Generation X style. Thank God there were no smartphones.
My 30s were epic.
They were filled with change and “firsts.”
My first—and only—marriage.
My first home.
My first practice.
My first baby.
I learned how to be an entrepreneur, and with that came the heavy weight of mom guilt—missing first rolls, first words, first steps. I learned how to live the life I wanted as a business owner while constantly negotiating my heart as a mother. Compromise became a daily practice.
Then came my 40s, and this is where the joy multiplied.
I began to reap the seeds I had sown.
Mommy Dentists in Business was born.
I found my people.
I found women who carried the same guilt, the same ambition, the same love for their families and their careers. I found sisters who walked in my shoes—and for that, I am endlessly grateful.
And then, in Bora Bora, something clicked deep in my bones.
I finally understood what it truly means to say, “I get to.” You know, when people look at you and say, “be thankful that you woke up today and that you GET TO”.
I get to live a healthy life.
I get to be a mother.
I get to be a dentist.
I have been blessed—and while my journey hasn’t been untouched by hardship (embezzlement, fraud, and witnessing some of the world’s trauma), I stand here feeling strong, shaped, and unbreakable.
I have learned to forgive.
I have learned to love.
And most importantly, I have learned to love myself.
For every lesson, I am eternally grateful to God.
So here it is, my friends—50 pearls at 50.
Wisdom earned, not borrowed.
I’m sure you have many pearls of your own to add.
Many blessings,
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