Closing a Chapter: A Year of Completion, Healing, and New Beginnings

By Mariah Sather 

Closing a Nine-Year Cycle

As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting on not just this year, but the entire nine-year cycle that led me here. In numerology, 2025 is a “9 year”—a time of release, closure, healing, and transformation. And when I look back at everything I've lived through, learned, and rebuilt, that feels profoundly true.

The Challenges That Shaped Me

These last nine years held some of the hardest chapters of my life.

I confronted the depths of my ex-husband’s addictions, recognized that I was living in an abusive marriage, and found the strength to walk away. I stepped into dating again only to repeat painful patterns, which forced me to pause and recommit to my own healing.

I navigated major career changes, including watching a male colleague be promoted because he “needed it more” as a new father—and later, a layoff during one of the most painful seasons my family has ever faced.

My home became unlivable due to a sewage flood and asbestos remediation, leading to months of displacement that eventually opened the door to a fresh start.

I went through two surgeries only eight days apart, battled anxiety, inflammation, and burnout, and watched my mental and physical health unravel before slowly learning how to rebuild vitality from the inside out.

Family, Loss, and the Heart Work of Healing

My family’s journey has shaped me more than anything.

My older sister passed away when I was young. My younger brother lived with a rare degenerative disorder that brought our family both deep grief and profound closeness. His passing this August was heartbreaking, even though we knew it was coming.

Just a few months later, I said goodbye to my dog—the loyal companion who carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life with pure, unconditional love.

These experiences taught me who I am, what I value, and what I can no longer carry forward. They taught me that while life can dismantle us, it also invites us to rebuild.

A Shift Within Me

This year, something shifted.

When everything felt out of control—my job ending, my brother’s health declining—I asked myself one grounding question:

“What can I control so I stop feeling like my life is happening to me?”

The answer brought me back to practices that have supported me for years. I didn’t discover healing this year; I deepened it.

I became more consistent in my Reiki practice.

I felt more grounded in my spirituality than ever before.

And I grew more appreciative of finding balance between natural and modern healing modalities.

This was the year I stopped merely surviving and began truly nurturing myself—mind, body, and spirit.

The Birth of Parallel Journeys

Somewhere in this shift, a vision formed.

I kept seeing how deeply people crave connection, community, authenticity, and places where they can be supported and seen. Over and over, I heard:

“I want people I can grow with. People I can be my authentic self with. I don’t even know how or where to meet new people as an adult.”

When Kelly and I began talking, we realized we shared that same dream. From that shared calling, Parallel Journeyswas born—a community built for growth, connection, and genuine belonging.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As I look back on these last nine years—the grief, the rebuilding, the courage, the lessons—I’m proud of who I’ve become. I’m proud of the resilience I’ve earned, the truth I’ve learned to speak, the light I no longer dim, and the purpose I am finally stepping into.

As we move into 2026—a “1 year” in numerology, a year of beginnings—I feel myself breathing easier. I feel possibility. I feel alignment. I know I am safe. I feel ready.

I am building a life rooted in authenticity, abundance, love, and vitality.

I am stepping into my purpose as a healer, a leader, and a guide.

And I am deeply grateful for everyone who has walked beside me through every chapter.

 

Parallel Journeys is the next chapter—and I cannot wait to welcome you in.