Hey Reader,
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We’re in podcast hibernation mode over here—Roar runs on a “record one quarter, release the next” kind of rhythm. So while I’m off gathering stories for the next season (and wrangling my calendar/life/brain in the process), I figured I’d shift into summer mode and focus on appreciating the long, lazy days of the season.

I’ve got a birthday coming up on August 15. Not the big 5–0, but the quieter, seemingly insignificant 5–1. Last year, I was so busy getting my son off to college that I barely noticed the day. This year, I’m trying to be a little more intentional—because honestly, my gratitude for birthdays seems to grow with each one I get.

So for the next few weeks, I’m sharing five small things each week. Nothing big. Just five things (in honor of those five decades!) that feel real and grounding and true right now.

Consider it a little birthday present to all of us (myself included, because hello? I’m a LEO, so I’d never leave me out).

This week’s five:

1. A poem

“When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
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When it is over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
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I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.”​
—Mary Oliver, “When Death Comes”

A North Star poem if ever there was one, amiright?

2. A song​
“Work Song” by Hozier​
I went to see Hozier with my daughter on Tuesday, and it was one of those concerts where the music felt bigger than the venue—like it cracked something open in the air. During the show, I looked over and saw her—sixteen, laughing, completely alive—and it was one of those rare moments that feels both ordinary and holy.

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3. A feeling​
My son is home from college, and so sometimes at night, I get to kiss both of my kids goodnight. There’s a specific kind of peace that comes in those moments—when your people are safe, close, and loved. And I’m holding onto it while I can.

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4. A mantra I’m letting go of​
I’m done saying “I’m old” or “I’m a hundred” every time I talk to someone younger than me. It’s my go-to line when I reference a song or a show or a random life moment that predates TikTok—but lately I’ve started to wonder what story I’m telling myself when I say it. I’m 51. That doesn’t mean I’m at the end. I don’t want to treat it like a punchline or a prophecy. I want to think of it as the middle. A good, layered middle. Like a story with plenty left to tell. Or lasagna.

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5. A reminder​
It’s the ENERGY, lady. If there’s something I want to make happen, I have to align my energy with the outcome—not the laundry. Not the grocery list. Not the 50 LinkedIn notifications. It sounds like Law of Attraction language (because it is), but it also just… works. When I remember to shift my energy, even slightly, things start to move. And right now, I want to get something done.

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That’s it for this week’s five.

I’ll be back next Thursday with five more. No theme. No lesson. Just a few things that feel real right now.

And if you’re missing Roar in the meantime, you can always catch up on past episodes or revisit your favorites right here. Season 3 is coming—and I can’t wait to share what’s next.

XO,
Danielle

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