Botanical Bliss

After settling into Florida these past couple of months, I took a solo road trip to visit my cousin Alex on the west side of Florida this weekend. She and her boyfriend Angel bought their first house, and I am so beyond proud of and happy for them. This is such a gigantic milestone both in their lives and in their relationship. This weekend was filled with such great company!

For those of you who do not know who Alex is, she is my cousin, but truly the sister I never had. We are 6 weeks apart in age, and I am so blessed to have grown up with a built-in best friend. We have been inseparable our entire lives, and have always had each other to go through each phase of life with. No matter the distance between us, our bond remains so strong. It has been difficult to live a plane ride away from her for many years, so it is surreal to live in the same state again!

We spent this weekend catching up on some much needed quality family time. Even in the moments spent driving around running errands, we had a blast because it doesn’t matter what we are doing with each other. Being in each other’s presence is so fulfilling.

The highlight of the weekend was exploring Hollis Garden in Lakeland, Florida. It is a lakefront botanical garden with stunning scenery and views. We walked around in the blazing Florida heat admiring the beauty around us despite melting away in the sun- LOL. We were practically roaming the grounds by ourselves aside from one family and a bride and groom-to-be being photographed in the gardens. As we walked along the perimeter of the lake we were surrounded by flocks of pelicans, ducks, and turtles roaming around the shoreline. My favorite part of the gardens was this tucked away path lined with bamboo where people carved their initials into the bamboo shoots. We attempted initialing AP+JP, but it didn’t work out so well with our car key. Pictured below are Alex and I at Hollis Garden.

There was a memorial statue on the grounds with an inspiring quote that read:

“The strength of one will energize many and be a light of hope.”

Let this be a reminder to be a light to those around you, whether that is with family, friends, or strangers. Spend quality time with family and friends, and leave a lasting impression on strangers. Being a pillar of love and light will leave the world that much brighter and leave you feeling so fulfilled!

Remember to stay humble and kind, always!

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xo –Jess