Refined, Not Rejected

This fortnight had all the ingredients for a satisfying ending — hard work, purpose, connection, and a touch of anticipation. It was one of those fortnights where every day had a role: move the boxes, scrub the memories, ferry Jayde to work, hold space for home, cheer for the girls as they ventured across the world.

And we did it. We moved mountains.

I’m so proud of what we created. What we held. What we left behind, clean and shining.

But just as I started to exhale — to feel that soft completion rise in my chest — it was cut short.

Without warning, a family friend who had retired was announced as my quiet replacement. No conversation. No explanation. Just a reshuffling that left me standing outside of something I helped hold together.

It wasn’t about me, but it felt like my heart had been ripped out all over again.

Maybe that’s the CPTSD. Maybe it’s just how personal this work is to me.

Either way, it hurt.

So I sat with my cards.

Temperance. The Hermit. Seven of Pentacles reversed.

And suddenly, it all made sense.

🌿 Temperance reminded me that everything sacred takes time — and that endings don’t always arrive the way we want them to. Sometimes they trickle in with grace. Sometimes they teach us to blend patience with pride.

🕯️ The Hermit pulled me inward. Not to isolate — but to integrate. To give myself permission to pause, recalibrate, and return to the small voice that has always known what’s true.

🍂 And the reversed Seven of Pentacles? That one hit hard. A cosmic check-in: Where are you investing your energy? Is the garden still yours, or are you just tending someone else’s for a while?

Midweek, before everything shifted, I visited one of my beautiful fortnightly clients for a kitchen declutter and sparkle session. We cleared space, shared stories, and made the whole place feel lighter — and just as I was packing up, she surprised me with a gift: a new vacuum. No big moment. No big words. Just quiet, heartfelt generosity.

Looking back now, I can see it for what it was — a breadcrumb from the universe reminding me what truly matters. That being seen, appreciated, and trusted in someone’s sacred space is the kind of wealth I want to keep building.

And while I’ll miss those girls deeply — their excitement, their chaos, their warmth — I know they gave me more than I could ever return. Their trust helped me remember who I am. Their faith gave me room to grow.

Now it’s time to carry that forward.

To help the next person out of their dark.

To keep showing up — not for approval, but for purpose.

Not everyone’s meant to stay — but every moment still matters.

With love,

Sarah x

@sarahandbun