sustainable systems & storytelling
Time rages like a river, rushing by, offering momentary glimpses into the truth of reality. The days pass by in steady succession, marching towards some yet-unknown destination. I have spent the last several years coasting along the ebb and flow of some evasive ailment. I've spent portions of the journey violently kicking and other stretches... Continue Reading →
Popular advice states that we should refrain from comparing ourselves to others, instead focusing our discerning eyes on who we are currently versus who we were before. Generally speaking, we make strides forward. We fall in love, get the promotion, become more spiritual, achieve a new personal best and learn an important lesson along the... Continue Reading →
"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." — Marcus Aurelius Yesterday, we went on our evening walk and discovered a two-day old gosling that had been abandoned by it's family. After following it around for over an hour, observing a man sic his dog on... Continue Reading →
How are you doing today? Honestly. Have you taken any time to check in with yourself, to ask exactly what it is your mind, body and soul are craving? In the modern world, we're often in such a rush and bombarded by so many distractions that we fail to check in with ourselves. I hope... Continue Reading →
I entered 2019 with exceedingly high hopes. Health, wealth, prosperity and new beginnings were surely waiting on the other side of midnight. Though I know that January 1st is an arbitrary date, I had dreamed of leveraging its symbolism. If healthy eating, light exercise, meditation, affirmations and being proactive weren't quite enough, maybe the promise... Continue Reading →
I'm the person who gets misty eyed in nature documentaries when the predator captures its prey. The shark eats the penguin, who eats small fish, who in turn eat the algae. When the shark dies, its body will decay and its nutrients will be adsorbed by the algae. It's horrific and devastating, and it's, quite... Continue Reading →
There is a nasty bug traveling around in my neck of the woods and, for the first time in several years, I caught it. After twelve days of soothing my fever, snot, and persistent irritability, my boyfriend began began developing symptoms. Oops. We were both gifted the full post-Christmas shebang: fever, chills, sneezing, cough, sinus... Continue Reading →
The year is 2018, and it's been a rough one. The last 300-some-odd days have been filled with debilitating illness, medications that exacerbate the existing symptoms, false allegations that could have landed me in federal prison, no action being taken against the true criminal in my workplace, the lost of my best friend over behaviors... Continue Reading →
How do you to live life to the fullest when your health limits everything you do? How do you cope with waiting for some relief when, in reality, there's no reprieve in sight? There are no easy answers to these questions. The mounting unknowns become overwhelming as symptoms worsen in spite of rest, medication, and... Continue Reading →
In my early twenties, I developed the habit of drafting up little love notes on particularly lonely days, leaving them tucked inside library books and waiting on park benches. I never stuck around long enough to see the recipients, but I always felt so much happier and more connected after my secretive love bombs. Maybe... Continue Reading →
My brain has been shot the last several months, so I've resorted to using my old journal as prompts. I'm slightly embarrassed by the poorly-formed ideas of my younger self, yet also so proud of her tenacity, insight, and compassionate nature. I'm grateful for the clues left behind by my lost and wandering mid-twenty-something self.... Continue Reading →
I attended Catholic school as a child and vividly remember the excitement as blaring sirens drew hundreds of of plaid skirts and navy shorts into a dozen single-file lines. When the monthly fire drills went well, the principal--a stern, gray-haired nun--would announce a "free dress day." The prospective of leaving my stiff skirts and collared shirt... Continue Reading →
Two weeks ago, I wrote about being sick, broke, and homeless. Repeatedly, I've been reminding myself that it's all about perspective. My in-laws just returned from India, where poverty was uncomfortably rampant. My good friend's boyfriend moved out without explanation, and then returned back the next day with the loaded moving truck and a half-hearted... Continue Reading →
