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✨ One Year Later

✨ One Year Later

Published by S.M. Ulbrich on 08/22/2026

One year ago, on August 19, 2025, I wrote an update during a season of rebuilding — physically, creatively, and spiritually. Reading it again this week, in the middle of my anniversary emotions and all the memories that come with it, reminded me how much has changed and how much God has carried me through.

At that time, I was recovering from CKD stage 4 and learning to work within the rhythms of my health. Today, I’m back in stage 4 again, and while that is difficult, it has also deepened my understanding of resilience. I continue to honor the quiet days and celebrate the creative ones. This journey still teaches me patience, strength, and grace.

Last year, I was searching for an illustrator. Today, I’ve found a workable rhythm using NightCafe for my artwork. It has allowed me to keep moving forward without the financial strain of hiring an artist. I still hope to collaborate with a young illustrator someday — especially someone who feels connected to the stories — but for now, this path has given me freedom and momentum.

And the creative growth… I never expected this much to bloom in just one year. The George Washington children’s book — inspired by my great‑granddaughter in her bright red patriotic dress — has grown into a full project. My Bedtime Story book is almost ready for publishing. I’ve created an adult coloring book, nearly finished a second mandala coloring book, and designed six “Walking with Christ” journals featuring artwork that reflects every stage of life. I’ve built an Acadian clip‑art book and several other projects that weren’t even imagined a year ago.

Looking back at the post from August 19, 2025, I see a woman hoping for progress. Today, I see a woman who has built an entire shelf of books, journals, and art — one gentle step at a time.

Here is the post exactly as it appeared one year ago.

August 19, 2025

Hi, everyone! I’m excited to share the second installment of my author blog. Let’s dive in! My sleep disorder has posed challenges, but it has forged resilience and adaptability within me. There are nights when I wake up around 10:00 or 11:00, yet I’ve learned to embrace those quiet moments and reflect on what I cherish most.

This journey, though isolating at times, has illuminated the strength found in the cycles of my health. When I feel “well,” I seize the opportunity to immerse myself in writing, gathering rich material for my stories and eager to unleash my creativity.

Moving to East Texas brought a long stretch of limited activity, but I emerged with invaluable lessons in perseverance. Surviving heat stroke and battling Covid twice revealed the immense power of prayer and community support, helping me recover from stage 4 to stage 3.

Recently, a video from my daughter featuring my great-granddaughter in her bright red patriotic dress filled me with inspiration. Her exuberance rekindled my passion for the stories I hold dear. Now, I am diligently working to get my books published!

I am actively seeking an illustrator, reaching out to past collaborators, and my husband has explored local high school resources. The art department head was impressed with my story and suggested involving a student—what a brilliant idea!

I am determined to move forward quickly and will be following up soon. Stay tuned for more updates on my creative journey!

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Light & Purpose

Light & Purpose

Published by S.M. Ulbrich on 08/05/2026

What’s a quote that perfectly describes your outlook on life?
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”Light is not something you chase. It’s something you carry. My life is a slow, steady unfolding — and the light grows as I go.”

Here’s how I see my inner light, given to me as a gift from my Heavenly parents: It isn’t a spotlight demanding attention. It’s a lantern — quiet, steady, and deeply personal. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t rush. It simply glows, even on the days when I feel dim or uncertain. And the more I honor it, the brighter it becomes.

Some people think inner light is something you earn. But I know better.


It’s something I carry — through fog‑days, best‑days, ancestry, creativity, faith, and the soft unfolding of this life of mine.

🌟 What Inner Light Really Is

Inner light is the part of you that stays steady even when everything else shifts. It’s not confidence. It’s not perfection. It’s not productivity. It’s presence.

  • Quiet strength — the ability to keep moving gently, even when life feels heavy.
  • Soul clarity — the sense that something inside you knows the way, even when your mind doesn’t.
  • Creative truth — the spark that guides your writing, your journals, your heritage work.
  • Faithful resilience — the belief that God meets you in the soft places, not just the strong ones.
  • Ancestral glow — the way your roots, in my case, my Acadian roots, feel like a lantern handed down through generations.

Inner light is not loud. It’s loyal.

🌙 How Inner Light Shows Up in Real Life

It shows up when you write one honest sentence on a fibro fog‑day.
It shows up when you choose gentleness over pressure.
It shows up when you create something small but sincere.
It shows up when you trust your own rhythm instead of forcing someone else’s.

My inner light is woven into my Pages Alight brand — the soft watercolor motifs, the candles, the feathers, the glowing edges of the planner spreads. It’s in my voice, my heritage projects, my night‑owl creativity, my faith‑friendly tone.

It’s the thread that ties everything together.

🕊️ Inner Light as a Spiritual Companion

Your inner light is not just emotional or creative — it’s spiritual. It’s the quiet assurance that you are guided, held, and seen. It’s the whisper that says:

You don’t have to shine for the world.
You only have to shine from the truth inside you.

This is why my work resonates with overwhelmed readers. I don’t teach them to chase clarity. I try to teach them to trust the glow they already carry.

✨ A Gentle Invitation

If you’ve been doubting your brightness lately, let this settle softly in your heart:

Your inner light is not fragile.
It’s faithful.

It stays with you through every season.
It grows with every act of creativity.
It strengthens with every moment of honesty.
It brightens every time you choose presence over perfection.

You don’t have to force it.
You only have to honor it.

Your inner light is already shining — quietly, beautifully, and right on time.

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