So much has changed since this photo was taken. In late July 2022, I was diagnosed with tongue cancer and have since undergone various treatments, including surgery, to not only remove any visible cancer, but also reduce the chances of it coming back. Over the next six months, I had to relearn how to swallow, drink, eat, and speak—milestones no different from a two year old’s. In an instant, so much of what I relied on as an actor and communicator was taken away, like a rug pulled from under my feet. And yet, I look at this photo with so much joy and love for this girl, this girl who can laugh with such abandon and who never says die. I am emboldened by her, because I am reminded of her can-do spirit, her strength, and her determination to look for new mountains to climb.