Healing, Contrast, and Clarity: My Atlanta Journey During Lion’s Gate

Travel has a way of teaching us lessons we don’t always see coming. My recent trip to Atlanta reminded me that healing isn’t always wrapped in comfort—sometimes it arrives through contrast, delays, and unexpected challenges.

The Joyful Parts of the Journey

At first, everything went smoothly. I arrived safely, picked up my rental car with ease, and settled into time with family. I had not seen my sister in ten years, and being with her again filled me with gratitude. My brother opened his home to me, and even my stepfather—tied to some of my deepest inner healing—welcomed me in a way that softened old wounds.

The highlight was visiting the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Surrounded by vibrant flowers and breathtaking living sculptures, I felt like I was walking inside a sanctuary of peace. The water lilies, the goddess statue, the blooms—all of it whispered reminders of resilience and beauty.

The Contrast That Followed

But along with the joy came waves of contrast:

CPS unexpectedly showed up at my home before my trip. I overspent, dipping into money I had set aside for my son’s school clothes. I had an allergic reaction in Atlanta. I didn’t get to see my son as planned. My flight was delayed and canceled, making my son miss his first day of school. TSA gave me a hard time and made me throw away an expensive water bottle. And to top it off, on the plane home a child kicked my seat the whole way.

It felt like one thing after another. For a moment, I wanted to collapse into tears. But then something shifted: as soon as the plane lifted off the ground, I felt a weight release. It was as if Atlanta was trying to hold on to me, and in that moment, I knew—I love my family deeply, but Atlanta is no longer my home. California is where I belong.

Why All This Contrast?

I asked myself: Why did I attract so much friction on this trip?

Spirit’s answer was clear: contrast isn’t punishment—it’s refinement. Every irritation, delay, and disappointment was a mirror. It asked me:

Can you hold peace even in chaos? Can you trust abundance even when money flows differently than planned? Can you remain sovereign when systems test you?

And then I remembered: this trip aligned with the Lion’s Gate Portal, a time of energetic upgrades, breakthroughs, and manifestations. But before alignment comes purging. Old wounds, fears, and attachments rise up to be cleared. That’s exactly what happened.

The Gift in It All

This season of contrast is showing me that I’m being refined for my next level. Healing is not just about soft moments in gardens—it’s also about staying anchored when everything outside tries to shake you.

If you’ve been feeling tested lately, know this: you are not cursed, and you’re not failing. You’re being initiated. This is the season of shedding, so that you can step fully into your next level of peace, abundance, and purpose.

And for me? I came home lighter. Healed in places I didn’t know were still raw. More rooted in California as my home. And grateful for the clarity that sometimes only contrast can bring.