In my previous post [from past New Year’s] 2019…A Year of Adventure I talked about a shift within me – a small but mighty shift. I mused over what the year had in store for me – adventure. However, as I reflect on 2019 I am acutely aware of the hardships, the losses, the good-byes, and the unexpected setbacks I…
Crystal Joy
I am a dreamer. I am an artist. I am an adventure-seeker. I am a storyteller. I am a wife. I am a mommy. I am a cancer survivor. My name is Crystal Joy Hall. Share in my journey at crystaljoyhall.com.
I sit here, on this bleak and dismal December morning, with my head spinning – how is Christmas only 15 days away? I am not ready for this. I am not feeling that Christmas Spirit one expects to feel this time of year. What I have been feeling is anxious, stressed, and fatigued. And it is greatly affecting me –…
The Age of Six… what a fascinating time this is! A time of physical growth, emotional growth, and intellectual growth. It is remarkable! And I am witnessing these growths – these changes – within my son at a rapid rate. Just weeks before Liam turned 6 years old I witnessed a major shift within him that directly impacted our relationship….
Living in a society that worships outward beauty and perceived perfection can be difficult for those of us who bear visible scars. We are not perfect. We are flawed – but – we are alive, we have survived, and we have a story to tell. Each scar tells a story. Within that story is often a lesson. Within that lesson…
Quite recently I dealt with the frightening realities of Adjuvant Therapy [cancer treatment], which has catapulted me into the dark abyss of fear and anxiety. Two weeks ago I attempted to refill my prescription of Tamoxifen only to be informed by my pharmacist that it wasn’t available. It was a voice message I received after-hours and it left me in…
It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And though I have shared my journey over these past 4 years, I do feel the need to talk a little about the realities of breast cancer, and how one particular establishment has aided in my journey. Melmira. It is a special place – a boutique for all women to feel recognized, honoured, feminine,…
My son has always had obsessions with movies. His first was Disney’s Cars. We watched it to the point that we could recite every single line of the movie. As annoying as it was to watch the same film almost daily, it was also kind of adorable. It made Liam SO happy – grinning from ear to ear, reciting lines,…
I am not going to lie. This was a tough summer. I gave everything I could to parenting my son – making his summer months fun and memorable; and then adulting in-between (work, running a household, being a wife, etc.). There was no time for self-love or for self-reflection. I did not have a moment’s breath for me. It was…
Yes. It is a Hot Time this summer. And by hot I am not referring to the weather, I am referring to my 5 year old’s emotions – they are running hot and wild. Senior kindergarten ended with a bang – a fantastic year-end party at a friend’s house then off to visit family. It was great! Then we came…
I began acupuncture as a third method of healing in this breast cancer journey of mine, just a little over a year ago, not realizing that it would unleash powerful emotions, bring forth my subconscious into conscious, and cause immense shifts from within [as explored in my posts This is Grief and Without Water There Can Be No Life]. It…