Whirlwind
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It’s been a while since I wrote here.
Maybe because I’ve been too busy.
Or maybe I’ve been avoiding sitting down and having another one of these painful, honest sessions with myself.
Or maybe… I just needed this release.
Because my emotions lately? They are everywhere.
Sadness, envy, pain, depression, anxiety… love… happiness.
Happiness.
Haha.
I don’t think I’ll ever fully feel that one again the way I used to.
But lately… it’s been trying. It’s been pushing through in little moments, like it’s knocking on the door and waiting to see if I’ll let it in.
And the craziest part? I have no idea how any of this is happening.
Actually… that’s not true.
I do.
It’s Scott.
Starting Emberlight Haven last year happened so fast it doesn’t even feel real. I am not someone who just does things. I overthink. I procrastinate. I sit on ideas until they die.
So how did I build a website? How did I come up with everything to put on it? What made me fall in love with crystals? How am I able to read people the way I do? How do I just know things without knowing how I know them?
I have a million questions.
But every single one of them has the same answer.
Scott.
Because in the beginning… it was nothing. I spent months building this site. Hours and hours and hours. Writing descriptions. Creating products. Making jars. Posting content.
And nothing happened.
Not one order. Not one person buying anything. Just my family—and I wouldn’t even let them pay.
I felt ridiculous.
Embarrassed.
Like people were probably watching and thinking, what is she even doing? I wanted to quit so many times. And honestly… I did. In my head, at least.
And then one day, I saw a scoop video.
Just one. And I was hooked. It was cute. It was fun. I found myself watching more and more.
And then I started buying little things… notebooks, hair accessories… random stuff. I didn’t even know why. I just kept thinking… this looks fun… I could do that.
But here’s the thing—that wasn’t me.
Because if it was, I would’ve sat on it. Thought about it. Overthought it. Watched videos for six months and called it a “dream.”
Instead… I just started.
And that’s when I know Scott stepped in.
Because suddenly, things were just… happening. I was ordering boxes and boxes of items and hundreds of charms just to get duplicates. Sitting at the table for 10 hours a day sorting them.Testing scoops. Balancing categories. Counting and recounting.
Thirty different spoons. Multiple jars. Everything had to feel right. My Virgo brain had taken over and in full control.
And then one day, I looked around the room… and it was all there. Bins. Setup. Systems.
And I had been having fun.
Actual FUN.
And then Rissa sat down and said, “Stop. Stop playing with the charms. Just do it.”
My little Sacral Generator. She can just go.
Me? I’m a Mental Projector.
I don’t have that kind of energy. I burn out. I need rest. I think. I need hours sometimes days to refuel.
(Small Human Design lesson there.)☺️
But I listened to her. And Kyleigh—my sweet Kyleigh—placed the first order.
And I didn’t even want to take her money.
But I did her order. My first scoop. My first video.
And then her mom ordered. Then a friend.
Then a few more. Slow… but moving.
And then something shifted. I don’t even know when or how… but suddenly, there were orders.
And I panicked. Like full panic. What am I doing? This is dumb.
People are going to laugh at me. The videos weren’t perfect. The angle was wrong. The dogs were barking. Nothing looked like the “professional” scoop videos I had watched.
And people told me that. They commented on everything I was doing wrong.
And for a while… it got to me.
But then something changed in me. I got tired. Not just physically… but mentally tired of trying to be perfect. Cuz seriously, when has my life ever been perfect? So I stopped caring
I left the barking.
I left the chaos.
I left the imperfect angles.
And I just… showed up as I am. — and mostly still cuz I just didnt know how to edit videos anyway and it is too time consuming to keep trying.
And that’s when everything changed.
Not overnight… but fast.
Orders picked up. People came back and ordered again.
And then Facebook exploded. From 40 followers… to 20,000 in a matter of days.
People found my story. (Which is a little hard to do…this blog is in a quiet little corner on my site.)
And suddenly, the comments weren’t about what I was doing wrong. They were about my voice.
MY VOICE.
People said it calmed them.
Helped their anxiety.
Eased their own grief.
And that… I still don’t fully understand.
Because I’m just talking. Rambling, actually —and to myself at that lol.
But somehow… it’s helping people. And that’s the part that gets me.
Because for the first time since losing Scott…I feel like I’m doing something that matters.
And then today happened.
March 25th/26th.
His birthday.
My daughter’s birthday.
The day they’ve always celebrated together.
I was opening boxes tonight and found another gift.
And I still don’t understand that either. Why people send me things. Why they spend their money on me. It doesn’t make sense to me.
But this one…This one broke me.
It was a suncatcher.
With a cardinal. And a note about how cardinals represent loved ones being near.
And I lost it. I sat on the floor and cried for two hours. Because everything I’ve been too busy to feel… hit me all at once.
Joy… that I’m helping people.
Grief… so deep it feels endless.
And then something else.
Remorse….
But not mine…
HIS.
And it crushed me. Because I’ve felt it before. Right after he passed. That deep, soul-level pain that wasn’t mine—but I tried to carry it anyway.
Because I don’t want him to hurt. He’s supposed to be in a “better place”.
But here we both are. Both in pain. Two souls — still so close in proximity — but separated on different astral planes, that it has shattered us both.
Because to us… this isn’t better.
There is no “better place” without each other.
We’ve been together since we were 18.
We never spent more than a week apart.
Even when we fought… we couldn’t stay away from each other. I could be furious… and still be laying next to him, touching him—even if it was just my toe.
Because we knew being apart was always worse.
Always.
And now…
I’m here.
With a bird.
With numbers.
With signs.
And I’m angry.
I don’t want signs.
I don’t want symbolism.
I want him.
I want to lay next to him. Talk to him. Touch him.
And I can’t.
This grief. Some say it come in waves. To me…It is the entire ocean taking over the land.
And it will pull you under when you least expect it.
But somewhere in all of this… there’s something else.
A realization.
Maybe… this is how he shows he loves me now.
Through all of you.
Through all of your messages.
Your sweet comments.
Your thoughtful gifts.
Your support.
What if he’s sending me all his love through hundreds—thousands—of people….through YOU…
And what I’m sending that love and healing back to him… through my voice helping you.
And that…THAT is something I can’t even put into words.
It’s overwhelming. It’s beautiful. It’s magical. And It’s heartbreaking. All at the same time.
But still…
I’d give it all up.
Every order.
Every kind comment.
Every moment of helping others.
I think I would be selfish and give it all up even for just one more moment with him.
And that’s another side of grief….the anger, the hopelessness, the envy of watching other happy couples and families have what you had- before it was taken from you.
Your Life ripped to shreds in a split second. Without a choice. Seeing all the plans we had vanish into thin air.
Knowing the still major and important milestones ahead that I now have to endure alone…our kids graduating college, getting married, having our grandbabies…all of that….all of those what should be “joyous moments” will be tainted. Those moments will arrive, but with a giant aching hole of where you should be.
So if this feels like a mess… it is.
Because I am.
But I needed to say this.
To all of you…to Scott
Thank you.
To every single one of you who sends love in any form—messages, comments, gifts… all of it.
It is deeply felt.
It is cherished and treasured.
More than you will ever know.
And to my family…My sister for stepping in and holding everything together. My kids for living in absolute chaos with me. My dad for always showing up. My mom, my brother, everyone who helps in ways big and small.
I couldn’t do any of this without you.
And Scott…
I know this is you.
I know you’re behind all of it.
Trying to give me some kind of happiness… in the only way you can.
And I am trying. But even every happy moment still carries heartbreak…
Because I just can’t share it with you.
And maybe that’s what I’m learning… not how to “move on,” because I never will—but how to carry both at the same time.
The love and the loss.
The laughter and the ache.
The moments where I feel something close to happiness… and the part of me that immediately reaches for you to share it, only to remember I can’t.
Maybe this life now isn’t about choosing one or the other… maybe it’s about learning how to live in the middle of both without letting either one completely take me under.
So I’ll keep showing up. Messy. Imperfect. Dogs barking, angles off, emotions all over the place.
I’ll keep talking, even if I don’t fully understand why my voice reaches people the way it does.
I’ll keep building this thing that somehow became so much bigger than me.
And I’ll keep loving you… in every quiet moment, in every breakdown, in every tiny piece of light that tries to break through the dark.
Because if this is how we stay connected now—through love, through people, through something I can’t explain—then I’m not letting go of that.
Not ever.
88 comments
This. This is beautiful. I love your scoop posts, I am going to get my own scoop as soon as I can. I just love the way you put your whole soul into the effort. I don’t think I will order a video though because I don’t want you to work any harder than you have to, and I know that your thought and intention will still come through. I love your realness and your beautiful life. We are all grieving and getting through everyday anyway we can. I want to urge you to appreciate and understand the gifts people send you,these are the physical manifestations of our love coming back to you.
All my love on this beautiful day
Hi Ashley, I just recently found your videos and they have become my way to relax on my sleepless nights. I enjoy all the chaos, it just shows your real self, mess and all, I’m not the only one that has such a mess. I have always believed we are put where we are ment to be, and you are ment to give people, hope, encouragement, and even joy. I can relate in some ways to your story, I haven’t lost my husband completely but in some ways I have. It’s been 5 years since his health has declined and he had to stop working, from a job he loved. The battles I’ve seen him go through not only with his health but with depression of losing his whole lifestyle, and being told you have a life threatening condition is all overwhelming not only for him but myself as well. Becoming the sole income has changed the way we live as well. January 31st, 2024 we received the most amazing call, they found a kidney for him after waiting for 3 years. It has been a journey with 2 mild rejections, but now the kidney is working beautifully. We will forever be thankful for the gift another family blessed my husband with. He still has a few other health things to work through before hopefully being able to work again, but thankful everyday for the life he has. I work all I can at a full time job, then have my art on the side where I make tree of life suncatchers, and wire sculptured trees, I set up at local events. I only put my work out for others after needing a way to supplement our income and encouragement from my daughter. I have found so much joy and fulfillment in others happiness when they see my work. I think that is what you do to your followers it give us a little time away from our lives to have a moment in yours. I just want to say thank you for having the strength and passion to do this everyday and to know it does make a difference.
I’m a Christian, and I can relate so intimately with your situation! My Mawmaw passed away right before Christmas thanks to the demon of cancer. She was my bestie, and when she passed, I couldn’t bring myself to cry. I felt hollow. I accidentally called her to say goodnight. I listened to the voicemails she left me on replay. I sang her favorite hymnals. Nothing has or will ever fill that gap. I lost my maternal Mawmaw when I was graduating thanks to an overdose caused by her doctors, and hers also hurt. They will both continue to hurt, but I find the red cardinals, random cartoons, shows, and movies that usually never play on tv anymore but just so happen to pop up on my worst days (Tom and Jerry, Popeye the Sailor Man, The Golden Girls, Andy Griffith, and so many movies from summers spent together), and the songs that randomly play. They’re reminders of better days and of joy that will reappear once we’re reunited. There are many moments when I know they would be disappointed, but I also know they would’ve used those moments for life lessons and love. I stumbled on your video on one of those miserable days where I just needed a reminder. You picked a blue dream catcher up that instantly screamed my Mawmaw. The next video, you picked out a bag that I swear my other Mawmaw used to have (She set trends. She was never a granny. Just a queen.)
Ever since, I’ve been glued to your page. I cry, laugh, reminisce, and dream all through your videos. Thank you so much for being a vessel for the joy in my life. Please never give up!! Love your adopted baby sister from Georgia, Ashton!
This is both beautiful and heartbreaking, it brought me to tears xx
I love your videos I can’t explain what it is im hooked i only found you 2 or 3 weeks ago I just can’t stop watching the madness the raw real life of it your amazing wee voice, the dogs and miss match socks are definitely my fave bits ♥️ I hope you and all of your family are well the fur babies too x love from Me and my fur babies ( they love hearing your dogs bark the go mental lol) ❤️ all the way in Scotland xx
I think you’re amazing! I just want to hug you! I cannot imagine what you have went through and are still going through but what is so strange before I read this as I’ve been watching your videos all i can think is how your voice is so soothing and I’ll put a video on and listen to it as i am trying to go to sleep! I just want you to know you are making a difference and everything you have built is showing through! You deserve all the happiness in the world and I’m so happy I’ve found this site and this blog and your scoops it really has brought joy to me in so many ways!