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Sonali

@sonalisalami

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“I am I and my circumstance; and, if I do not save it, I do not save myself.” José Ortega y Gasset
✨ENFJ✨

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The energy feels so different this year. Four years of crawling through the darkest of times, and I’m finally back in the light. My old bones are so tired, but I feel at peace. For the first time in a long time, I’m happy with where my life is heading, even if it isn’t exactly what I had envisioned. Thankful I got to start my new year with a therapy session, reflecting on everything, and preparing for the climb ahead. Thankful for my sweet friends and family who have continued to support me through it all. Thankful for my sweet boy Momo for saving me. I feel like I can take on the world again.

And a huge and very special thank you to @phillarubia for my birthday photos. I have not felt beautiful in such a long time, and you played a huge part in helping me regain my confidence. Thank you love! I can’t wait for the next one! by @sonalisalami

Me just wondering where people are finding all this non-fat, gluten-free audacity nowadays.

@phillarubia still obsessing over this shoot. Thank you again, love! by @sonalisalami

All my life, I’ve been told I look exactly like my grandmother when she was young. At this time, it’s been both the most beautiful and the hardest thing to hear. My sweet Achchi passed, surrounded by loved ones in the early morning hours of August 19th. She always loved a full house, and in her last days she was visited by so many loved ones. She was a fighter, and she tried her best to say goodbye to as many people as she possibly could before she went. Her passing has been so heavy on my heart, in so many ways, but I’m happy that I can say she is no longer suffering through her Alzheimer’s and Demnetia, and she can rest in peace. My family and I have been looking through lots of photos and old albums lately, recounting sweet memories, laughing, crying, working hard and preparing to say our goodbyes tomorrow. It all just feels too soon, and too much, but our family has the most incredible support system, and I am so thankful for that. I don’t have the capacity to say all I want to say, other than I love you so much Achchi, may you attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana. I hope that I can make you proud. 🤍 by @sonalisalami

I had the pleasure of visiting Sri Lanka again after 20 years, thanks to my parents for allowing me to tag along with them. It’s the first time that I’ve visited that I was able to fully appreciate its beauty, not just in the scenery, but in the history, in culture, and even in the little, mundane things. I brought home history books, pieces of sea glass from the beaches of Galle, and a tiny box of Golden Tip tea for a special occasion. But, more than that, I felt like I reforged my connection to Sri Lanka. I let my hands rest on ancient bricks, the ocean water wash over my feet, drank from king coconuts on the roadside, and it felt like I was home. If I didn’t have to leave, trust me when I say I probably wouldn’t have.

On one of our last days, we stopped at a lake to take pictures of the water lilies, at the recommendation of my aunty and uncle. We all piled in their car, with their sweet dog in tow. We met a few men that were rowing through the water lilies, plucking the blooms to sell. My dad asked them if we could photograph them the next morning, they agreed, and this was one of my favorite shots.

The water lilies are beautiful, that goes without saying, but you wouldn’t know how much went into collecting them unless you watched. They row through murky waters and snares of tangled roots with visible effort. The skin on their feet wrinkled from being submerged in the lake, their backs sweaty and darkened by the sun, their sarongs sopping wet, and yet their smiles are still brilliant and wide.

#srilanka #srilankatravel #canon #canonphotography by @sonalisalami

Please. Just look at my boy. I’m literally going to squeeze him into smithereens. by @sonalisalami

August has been such a whirlwind, and I’m feeling it all today. Happy, sad, lonely, hopeful, loved. Mostly grateful for the people in my life, grateful for the experiences that I’ve had, thus far. Feeling closer to the light at the end of a long tunnel. by @sonalisalami

Thirty three feels different. It feels like peace and growth. It feels like reestablishing connections lost. It feels like loving myself and who I was. I’ve overcome deep valleys the last two years and now it’s time to climb some mountains.
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📸: @_josephinesun by @sonalisalami

I spent the holidays running around Japan. by @sonalisalami

A lovely place with lovely friends. Escaping into nature is my favorite thing, and it makes me happy when I can share it with the people I love. Definitely going to do that more, and often. by @sonalisalami

My brother got married to the love of his life yesterday. It was a beautiful celebration, and I was so glad to be a part of it as my SISTER’s bridesmaid. So happy for you @dylan_not_dyelen and @kaush_gajaweera , and I love you both so much! by @sonalisalami

I ran away to Joshua Tree to catch the sunrise, yesterday. I always turn to nature when I need to heal, and it never disappoints. The silence was powerful, and very much needed. I call this a day well spent. And, I mean, the dinosaurs were an added bonus. by @sonalisalami

My watch has ended.
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I think I have written and rewritten this a thousand times…. And I still don’t feel like I’ve said all I want to say. There’s just too much. I think from the moment I heard the word “eliminated” to the moment I hung up, I was in tears.
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My heart hurts for my Disney Family right now. The past seven months have been nothing more than a shroud of uncertainty. And yet, we persisted. Some of you bravely continued to work in essential fields, some of you decided to take a leap of faith and pursue higher education, some of you started to embrace your other talents, (let’s be real, all of us dyed our hair to see how far we could deviate from Disney look), some of you took care of your families, some of you took on the current state of the world in ways I cannot even imagine, some of you decided to stand up and fight for our friends. Even off the route, even miles apart, you all continue to astound and inspire.
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Even though we weren’t physically able to see each other, your presence was always known, and I always felt your love and support. Come December, I am certain that will never change. We will always be there for each other, we will continue to lift each other up.
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During my time with parades, I made my forever friends, and collected so many precious memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my days. My dear Disney family, you are the people that make the happiest place on earth, the happiest place on earth. You are magical. You are sensational. You are talented. I love you, and I appreciate you - each and every one of you. You will always have my heart, and working with you all has been such a blessing, truly. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, know that I will always be in your corner. by @sonalisalami