There have been a lot of changes in my life lately: some good; others very, very bad. A week ago, on my last day in D.C., the nation elected a misogynist, racist, facist into the White House. I told a doorwoman at my friends’ building that I wished life was a TV show and that I could turn it off.

The same day, I moved back to the Midwest by my own volition.  I spent my last day in D.C. wandering around in a haze, sobbing and wondering what was happening to our country, and, to a lesser extent, myself.

At first, I didn’t know how I would adjust to being back in Missouri. The state voted red; I bleed blue. I was depressed by the election results. I was worn out from packing up my life in D.C., saying goodbye to people I love and closing a big chapter in my life.

When I got back to St. Louis, I didn’t know what to do with myself. So I walked. I walked in the woods. I walked around my mom’s neighborhood. I walked in parks. Maybe, I thought, I’ll find an answer if I keep going.

One of my first days back, I ran to a hiking trail in a nearby park. I was blasting my music, as I would do in D.C. But then, I realized how quiet it was. I took out my earphones and I started walking down the path in complete silence.

At one point, I looked up and saw this scene. I stopped, stunned, because it was like I was looking into a kaleidoscope. But that’s actually what the sky looked like through my own eyes.

I’m not going to say that in that moment, I knew everything would be okay. But I knew that as long as there is still beauty in the world, and that if I could find it, I would be able to move on.

Today, I made this smoothie bowl for breakfast. It was the first one I’ve made since I was back at home, and it combined a little of the old with the new: I cut up some dark chocolate that I brought back with me from D.C., and then used fruit that I found around the house. That pecan/dark chocolate/blueberry/banana combo though…

Blueberry Banana Smoothie Bowl (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries
1 banana
1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup almond milk
roasted pecans, blueberries, sliced banana and chopped dark chocolate for topping

Directions

Blend the blueberries, banana, yogurt and almond milk on a blender on high until smooth. Add more yogurt if the mixture seems too runny. Top with the pecans, blueberries, banana and dark chocolate. Enjoy!