Two Things Can Be True

You may have heard the song “Two Things” by Kelsea Ballerini from her recent album Patterns. The song reflects on the idea that two things can be true at the same time. Lately, that concept has been something I’ve found myself thinking about often in my own life.

Two things can be true at once. You can be sad and happy. You can feel grief while also feeling love. You can celebrate while still mourning. One emotion does not take away from another, and nothing prevents two truths from existing at the same time.

In my own life, I’ve seen this play out very clearly. As I mentioned in my first blog, my friend Taylor Blanton passed away in June of 2025. The day he passed was filled with immense grief, sadness, and heartbreak. Knowing he was in Heaven but no longer here on Earth was incredibly difficult. At the same time, though, something happened that brought me comfort, peace, and even moments of joy.

That comfort came through music.

On the same day Taylor passed, Brandon Lake released his album King of Hearts. For those unfamiliar, Brandon Lake is a Contemporary Christian music artist, and someone Taylor and I bonded over during his cancer journey. One of the songs I sent Taylor during his battle was “Don’t You Give Up On Me.” The song speaks to the idea that God sees you in your struggle, your pain, and your battles, and that He does not want you to give up on Him. It’s a reminder to hold onto faith in the hard moments and to trust that God is still present, even in the midst of life’s deepest hurt.

Realizing that Brandon Lake’s album was released on the same day Taylor passed felt meaningful. I found a lot of peace listening to it, especially the song “Remember the Miracles.” That song reminded me of everything Taylor fought through and overcame during his diagnosis. He was initially given only a few short months to live, yet he beat the odds and endured so much throughout his journey with cancer. The miracles were always there; I just didn’t fully recognize them until that day, when I finally sat with that song. It’s one I still listen to today, and it continues to bring me comfort when I miss his friendship.

Life in 2025 was anything but normal for me. At the beginning of the year, I experienced my own health scare, one that carried the possibility of a cancer diagnosis. The day I went in for testing, I sat in my car crying, overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty about what was to come. I had worship music playing and tried to place my trust in God’s plan for my life, believing that whatever the outcome, He had a purpose. Looking back now, I realize I was holding two emotions at the same time. I was fearful, but I was also hopeful. I believed better days were ahead, even though I couldn’t see what that looked like in the moment.

Eventually, the diagnosis turned out to be something non-life-threatening, which I am incredibly grateful for and still working through today. Reflecting on that season now, I can see how much emotional weight I was carrying. At the time, I didn’t fully recognize that two things were true at once.

As for this year, 2026 has had an interesting start, to say the least. I began the year with something positive when I was promoted into a more senior role within my career. It’s something I am truly grateful for and never want to take for granted. I started the year feeling hopeful that things were finally moving in the right direction. Just a few days into 2026, however, I learned that a childhood neighbor and friend had passed away.

It was a heavy and complicated feeling to experience joy for my own growth while also feeling deep heartbreak for his family and the loss they were navigating. In real time, two things were true at once. I was happy for my personal progress, while also grieving a life that was lost.

After walking through my own health scare and the loss of Taylor, I felt inspired to take my health into my own hands and focus on becoming stronger both physically and mentally. I decided to join a local CycleBar here in Colorado and unexpectedly found a community I am incredibly grateful to be a part of. In just a few short months, I’ve learned a lot, not only about cycling, but about processing life during difficult seasons.

CycleBar turned out to be more than just a workout. The instructors bring encouragement, honesty, and perspective into each class. They offer thoughtful insights about life and mental health that I didn’t expect when I first joined. I honestly thought I was signing up for a class that would simply push me physically, not one that would leave me reflecting long after it ended. It was actually the instructors at CycleBar who introduced me to the idea that two things can be true at the same time. Each instructor shares it differently, but every time it’s mentioned, it resonates with me.

Life is anything but normal. Maybe “normal” would mean everything is perfect, and if that were the case, the idea of two things being true wouldn’t exist. But life is beautiful the way it is, even in its messiness. Life is hard, but life is also beautiful. You can feel two things at once, and that is okay. It means you are human. It means you are living. And for what it’s worth, that is a true gift. The gift of being alive.