Adorned with celestial shapes, this vegan blueberry pie inspired me to share one of my favourite quotes and reflect on finding beauty in wherever and whoever you are now.

One of the perks of naturally waking up early is being able to watch the alpenglow of the mountain out my west-facing window as the sun rises. Earlier this month, I gazed out and witnessed the stunning moon situated near the horizon. So large, so majestic. I left my cereal on the counter and went to capture this morning moon in a photograph. I shared the photo on my personal Instagram along with one of my favourite quotes:

Don’t compare your life to others.

There’s no comparison between the sun and the moon.

They shine when it’s their time.

I’m not sure who the original author is but I first found it through Casey. After sharing the quote and photo, I got a surprising number of messages. From people commenting on how much they loved the quote or how they admired the moon.

The neglected beauty

Lately I have been abnormally enthralled by all things celestial. It probably began when I first saw the milky way with my own eyes at the summit of Haleakala in 2016. With my head craned back, my jet-lagged eyeballs saw an unfathomable number of stars speckled overhead. It was the very definition of awesome. I had another awe-inspiring experience on Mauna Kea in 2017, locating constellations and watching shooting stars glide across the sky like streams of confetti.

I’ve been itching (like chicken pox-level itchy) to escape from the city, from school, from the noise and pollution. Run to the mountains or a quiet lake with not a worry on my mind. Going to a place is a far easier task than detaching my mind from my to-do list. All I want to do is go stargazing and practice nighttime photography. I could stare at the moon and stars for hours on end. They are so serene and delicate, yet so many of us miss out on seeing them at their brightest. It is almost disregarding the importance and beauty of the moon. I am certainly guilty for rarely being able to stay up past 11pm.

Feeling like the moon

Often I feel more like the moon than the sun. The sun is vibrant, powerful, and everyone acknowledges it. The sun is like the popular kid. The friend with the exciting life. The moon, in contrast, is subtle, modest, and often goes unnoticed. Without the host of stars, it even looks sadly solitary.

In an age where we are not only comparing ourselves to the people that physically surround us, but also the multitude of influencers online, it’s easy to feel like the forgotten moon.

I see people spending their weekends doing fun stuff with friends while I’m rotting away inside my house because my friends and family are too busy for me. Why do I feel alone?

There are all these fantastic new plant-based businesses popping up. I feel like I’m behind in the game, that if I wait any longer I’ll never make it big. Why am I wasting my time?

I finally made the splurge in January and got myself a hot yoga membership. While I truly enjoy the classes there and certainly have seen improvements in my strength, a part of me is disappointed I don’t look more ‘fit’ than I do. Why is it that after 3 months of dedicated exercise I still have all this fat hanging around my belly?

I see all these wonderful photographers that make food or travel the world for a living. I also invested in Lightroom early this year hoping to up my photo game. Why is it that our blog can’t be successful like theirs? Why can’t I spend my days being a creative?

Maybe it’s not my time. Yet.

Being in our 20s in this day and age is complicated. We’re no longer children nor adolescents, but we’re also not quite adults that are totally independent from our parents; we still have a life line attached to them. Psychologists call this relatively new stage of life ’emerging adulthood’ and I think it’s so accurate. We’re still trying to figure out who we are, what we should be doing, and where we belong. One second we feel like we have this life thing figured out, and the next second we’re not so sure anymore.

Powered externally, the moon shines it’s brightest when it’s at its ideal position (i.e. directly opposite from the sun). Under optimal conditions, the moon glows with its full potential. Perhaps I’m not under the ideal conditions that allow me to thrive. Finding those conditions requires plenty of trial and error, meaning I’ll have to be open to a variety of experiences and be willing to fail and make a fool of myself. Sitting in my comfy chair won’t help me find my source of solar power. Go out and test your boundaries, define yourself, discover what makes your eyes sparkle, change your circumstances, and tinker with the way you live your days.

The chef I interned with last summer taught me one very important lesson, that beauty can be found anywhere. And I’m going to extend that to anytime and anyone as well.

Like hiking, it’s not always about the view at the end. The journey between the trail head and destination can be beautiful if you keep your head up and look for it. It’s taken me years to understand that concept myself, and while I still have complaints about the tedious upward treks, I’ve become more tuned to finding joy in those times. It’s about being patient with the process and re-framing the blase in-between moments to give them meaning and purpose. Find a way to be radiant, even if it’s a little bit, every step of the way.

As for yourself, just because you don’t feel like the blazing sun doesn’t mean you’re worthless or lack potential. You cannot compare an apple to an orange, nor the sun to the moon. All of those cycle through seasons and peak at different times. They are beautiful in their own ways; you just have to unearth it.

Vegan Blueberry Pie Recipe

I made this vegan blueberry pie for my dad’s birthday since he requested something very fruity and free of lactose. The pie crust recipe is from Minimalist Baker and is the most perfect vegan pie crust ever; it’s sturdy yet flaky and so easy to work with (no chilling needed!) You’ll be seeing more recipes using this crust in the future. Pop tarts perhaps?

The filling is a simple blueberry mixture lightly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I didn’t have a pretty pie pan so I used an 8-inch cake pan. The proportions I used are below for reference. The crust design is based off Jose’s design I saw on Pinterest and it was such a fitting opportunity to share the opening quote with ya’ll. I hope this post was a helpful reminder to have faith in who you are and to love yourself at every stage of life.

Stay wild, moon child.