Gosh, thank you so much for the support after last week’s emotional blog post.

Thankfully I am now 100% healthy – the flu couldn’t keep me down for long! And I have taken a page from T Swift’s book and did a little “shake it off” dance.

It’s crazy though. The video is at nearly 5 million and counting….yowza. If only those views were dolla dolla bills, yallllll.

haha jk jk….sorta

ANYWHO

I have some news.

FIRST: I got an exciting letter that BeautyBeyondBones has been recognized as the #3 Eating Disorder Recovery Website on the Worldwide Web! It was recognized by Feedspot! I am so incredibly honored, and I wanted to just take a second to thank you. Thank you for your readership and support, and for buying my book, Bloom, and passing it along to loved ones and friends. The glowing feedback I’ve received about the book absolutely makes my heart soar. You, reading this, are the reason I do this blog, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

NEXT:

You may recall that I have a trip to India coming up this week. One of my guy friends is getting married over there this coming weekend, and I’ve had my flight and hotel booked for months, my clothes all set, and a game plan for eating/drinking that may or may not include baby food.

So just this week – while I was sick – I get a call from the girl I’m traveling with. We’ll call her Tiffani. She’s a good friend from California, and we coordinated our flights. She’s connecting in NYC, where I’ll hop on her flight, and away we’ll go to the land of Bollywood and tikka masala.

But as any millennial knows…any time you get a phone call rather than a text message, the news is not good.

Well, it turns out that her visa was denied. One of her immediate family members is from Pakistan, and therefore, they denied her visa. Apparently the India/Pakistan political relationship is not. good. But anyways: she can no longer go.

What a bummer! At least several of my friends are still able to go. Disappointed, I shrug it off and concede to just meeting everyone else over there solo.

Later that day, I call my parents to share the news about my friend’s visa status, and let’s just say, I was blindsided by the phone call.

My dad informed me that there was absolutely no way he’s allowing me to travel to India by myself. If Tiffani’s not going, neither am I. 

“But I’m getting picked up at the airport by my friends!” No. 

“But I’ll never be by myself after I get off the plane!” No.

OK. That’s it, then. That’s the verdict. I’m not going to India. 

Yes, I am beyond disappointed. Yes, I am upset, but not at my dad.

My dad had never been super on board with me going in the first place. He was worried, of course about human trafficking, and my safety. But more than anything, he was worried about me getting sick from the food/water, and with my Ulcerative Colitis – ending up in the Indian hospital system. Legitimate fears.

And frankly, I’m blessed to have a father who loves me enough to worry about me and act to protect me.

I’ve done a lot of reflecting, in my respite with the flu. And I had a couple friends be like, — Just go anyways! You’re an adult and the ticket is already paid for. There’s nothing he can do – you’re in NYC, he’s in Ohio.

And while, yes, I am an adult – he’s my father.

And that means something. Because no matter how old I am, I will always respect my father.

My father – the man who, during my anorexia, researched the best weight gaining drinks money could buy and had them shipped in all the way from Scandinavia. The man who, after I was publicly disgraced as Sorority president and stripped down to my underwear in front of the chapter, whisked me away in his car to remind me that I am loved and worth so much more than what any of those dimwits at the greek house say. The man, who, ate my vegan food for an entire year when I was on bedrest with my Ulcerative Colitis, in solidarity with me.

The man who has given his life for his family, and provided a safe, happy, healthy and full life for me, every. single. day.

I will respect him. I will respect his wishes. I will respect his decision.

Because at the end of the day, that is the right thing to do: Honor your father and mother.

And who knows, maybe this is all playing out how it’s supposed to. Maybe – heaven forbid – something tragic would have happened while I was over there? Maybe this is God’s way of protecting me from something – an illness, an accident, who knows.

Or maybe, I’m supposed to be in the States during that period? Maybe I book the role of a lifetime? Maybe I stumble upon an awesome opportunity? Or maybe…I meet my future husband?

Who knows. But, although deeply disappointed, I choose to trust and honor my fathers…both earthy and Heavenly.

SO if you need me, I will not be going to India, and instead, stalking the heck out of my friends’ trip on Instagram instead.

***THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ORDERED MY BOOKS, BLOOM: A JOURNAL BY BEAUTYBEYONDBONES AND “MY BLOGGING TIPS“***

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY!

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