biscotti brain

2009-10-29T07:52:00.002-04:00

I promise you not a moment will be lost as long as I have heart & voice to speak & we will walk again together with a thousand others & a thousand more & on & on until there is no one among us who does not know the truth: there is no future without love.

-StoryPeople

What Would You Do To Change The World?

2009-10-20T18:22:00.002-04:00

Tom Davis posed this question on his blog. I've talked about Tom here before... he heads up Children's HopeChest and is the author of the fierce and important book Red Letters: Living a Faith That Bleeds, as well as others. What you may not know is that Tom has become a novelist as well, using the medium of fiction to introduce people to critical global issues (think modern day slavery). It's a brilliant strategy.

So, Tom's cooking up a new book project, and is looking for imput. Here is his question:

Imagine a world where you had the power to eliminate extreme poverty. What would you do and how would you do it? What does it look like to you?

You can head on over to Tom's blog to leave your thoughts. I'm curious too... so if you'd like to copy+paste your thoughts here too, I'd love that.

Hello, in the random way I've perfected...

2009-10-07T06:30:00.000-04:00

This seems to be a real season of change and growth for me. Can hardly wrap my head around it all. Just a couple days into the Mondo Beyondo e-course, and it's kicking my butt! What I thought would be lots of work + fun is proving to be lots of work + lots of surprises unearthed + lots of internal work + a little bit of awe. I should probably mention the tears too. The perfect thing at the perfect time.

Also breaking through some inertia, to make changes I have been thinking about for ages. This last weekend I bailed on Facebook. I should have done it a long time ago. Bailing from a few more internet haunts. Making room. Making room for something more life-giving.

The photo above? Yep, that's me on the right. Having a blast with an Indian monk. Yes, I was. And fellow Lumen Dei participant Peter Bergmeier caught the pixels to prove it. Actually, Peter had a difficult task. We were all given the assignment of making a portrait of someone in the group. Poor Peter was assigned me. "You're in for a rough ride..." I told him. In truth there are very few photographs around of me. Lots of reasons I won't get into now. But I had a choice to make with Peter. I could let my habitual behaviour ruin some really great moments... or I could just relax and stay present with whatever I was doing at the time. Occasionally I managed to stay present. I owe Peter a great debt for making it possible.

And this is so weirdly random I can't believe I'm posting about it, but I thought I should mention it. Most of you know me in your comment boxes as 'wilsonian'. Way, way back when I started blogging, I was doing so anonymously, and that was the name I chose to use. Well, I clearly no longer blog anonymously. And I've met so many of you in person now, that it seems a little ridiculous to keep using it. It was habit, and there are frankly so many other 'Erin's out there that I just coasted with it. But it's time to let that go too. So when you see me in you inbox (and you will... I have LOTS of catching up to do with blogs and flickr!!!), it will be with my real name. And yes, it will really be me.

Peace...
Erin Wilson

2009-09-29T11:01:00.002-04:00

"Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman via Inward/Outward

What makes you come alive? Are you living it out, or are you hiding it away, tucked safely in a little niche with other sacred things?

Waiting for permission to unwrap your best self, your best songs, your best poems, your best meals, your best hugs, your best prayers, your best paintings, your best lessons, your best and strongest wide open arms...?

Don't wait. You already have permission.

Facing Fear :: A short essay from Delhi

2009-09-26T06:50:00.004-04:00

What a trip! It's not over yet... I still have the long flight home, but this has been an amazing time. I'll save stories for when I'm home, showered, and more coherent, but thought I'd share this little photo essay I put together.

We were given an assignment during the workshop, to tell a story about something we discovered here in India. Truth be told, I was sick much of the trip, and had a hard time being fully present... connecting. A few hours before our assignment was due, I was found repeating over and over "I don't have a story yet!". The team loaded up into 4x4's for a drive of 120 km (and 0ver 18,000 feet in height!) back to base camp, and I settled in for some time of reflection. The more I thought, the more I realized that the biggest journey I'd taken on this trip was an internal journey, facing down some of my fears.

Fears. Lots of them. No surprise really, if you know me at all.

I was a little afraid of India. I was surprised by the stereotypes and prejudices I held onto. It was powerful to jump in and face my fear in such a place as Delhi.

I was intimidated by my fellow travellers. This is one group of talented people! I was full of angst before I left, about fitting in, about measuring up. In the end, none of that mattered. Kindness and grace bridged every gap.

I was afraid to show my work to others. We had a couple really helpful critique sessions, but the hardest exercise came in showing my work to one of the experts. All my work. All the out-takes, everything. Talk about feeling like you're standing naked! But in this space, I was given the gift of seeing my work through a different eye. Some of my images were flagged that I hadn't given a second thought, like the one above. Taking that risk will pay off all the rest of my days.

Some of the fears I faced quite unexpectedly. Long-standing fears. Matt Brandon coached me over to this little peninsula of land to get this shot. Another day you'll see how high this was, but trust me when I say that the fifth step on a ladder is a stretch for me. I also walked a very steep, very scary hairpin-turn path from this spot back down to the village below. I could not have done it without Russ Taylor talking me through every step. His Outward Bound training has paid off!! And then there was the short ride on the back of a motorcycle... A few weeks ago I could not have imagined doing any of these things. And I doubt Matt, Russ or Peter have any idea of how much of an influence they've had. It's a powerful thing when you don't have to face fears alone...

And when I'd faced some of those fears, and found some healing from sickness, I found a really beautiful place. A place where I was finally able to 'see'.

Ten days into the trip, it felt like it was really just starting for me.
But that's sort of the point, isn't it.

Up to a naked moment? Maybe you would be willing to tell me about a fear you faced in the last couple weeks...

2009-09-12T08:24:00.002-04:00

"Taking great photographs requires more than following seven magic steps. It requires becoming someone new." -Chris Orwig

Or try this on...
Being a great parent requires more than following seven magic steps. It requires becoming someone new.
Being a great friend requires more than following seven magic steps. It requires becoming someone new.
Being a great disciple of Jesus requires more than following seven magic steps. It requires becoming someone new...

Sitting at a cafe in Frankfurt with my friend Dani, en route to India.
Becoming someone new.

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 15

2009-08-30T21:03:00.005-04:00

Summer seems to be tucking itself in early this year. Cool days. Even cooler nights. It's just my kind of weather, so I'm not averse to a little preview to fall.

With summer's last long weekend coming up in a few days, it's time this series got put to bed too. You know, it's been pretty amazing, these 15 weeks of exploring the life I already have. I could honestly have kept going with it, there being so much to rediscover, but that's rather the point. Life can be as rich as I make it. I just need to slow down and take a good look around.

That said, sometimes you've got to just fling back the covers and go for it. Sometimes you need to do something that scares the crap out of you. Totally.

-I decided a while back to let my gray hair grow in. I'm not talking a few strays here. I started to go gray when I was 14 (I'll spare you the math... that's 27 years ago). In this case, it's not me who is scared, it's my mother. Oh, and everyone who has to look at me. I'm at that terrible half and half stage now.

-In 11 days I leave for a trip to India. Not a mission trip. No, if it were a mission trip, I wouldn't be scared. My head, heart and hands know what to do on a mission trip. Instead I'm diving head-long out of my element, taking a photography workshop. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from David duChemin, Matt Brandon and Ami Vitale. Yeah, wild isn't it? And I've lost more hours of my life angsting over this... hours that I will never get back. I'll spare you the gory details, but I've been scared about not cutting it (I'm capital-N Novice), about not fitting in, about looking stupid, and about my difficulty in social situations getting out of hand. I had a major epiphany this week (which I'll save for another post) that reframed everything, and took the fear away. And everything is different now.

-I am an artist.

(I'm pausing for my own moment of silence here. It wasn't until a couple days ago that I allowed myself to say that out loud. If anyone else ever tried to use that label for me I was always quick to brush it aside. Surely anyone reading this who makes their living from art is rolling their eyes right now. And that's okay too. It's about how I see the world and process, as much as how I currently make my living. Let's try this again...)

-I am an artist. I've worked with wood on historic buildings. I've worked with vintage fabric creating one-of-a-kind handbags. I've worked with a community's past creating museum exhibits. I've worked with historical photographs, editing photos for a book. I've worked a little bit with film and developing chemicals. And I work with a digital camera, corralling pixels into images. I am an artist with wide interests, and photography is one medium I love. Someday I'll be good at this (when I'm in my 70's, if Malcolm Gladwell has it right). And in the meantime, I'm still going to enjoy it. The photos that go with my blog posts? For a long while now I've been using my own photographs.

I think I might be sick. I can't believe I "spoke that out loud". It's very tempting to close the comments on this one, but I'm keeping them open and issuing a challenge. I'd love to hear what you're doing now that scares you. This could be a great opportunity to gain strength from each other. And if there is nothing... not a thing that you're doing now that scares you... maybe it's time for you to fling back the covers and go for it.

+++++++++++++++++++

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.
9. Laugh!
10. Make space.
11. Fail well.
12. Celebrate!
13. Pay Attention.
14. Say thanks.
15. Do something that scares you.

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 14

2009-08-24T21:19:00.003-04:00

I was ready to head for the check-out. But before I could go there was one more thing I needed to do in the shoe department.

I asked his name first. Robert. Then I told him what a wonderful job he'd done. I told him that he was excellent at his job, and that I really appreciated his help. I looked him in the eyes as I spoke.

He was the first to show surprise. I was second, as I realized that Robert probably never gets thanked for doing such a great job.

It was another great reminder. Gratitude costs so little. Really, so very little. Some time, some attention.

I'd like to thank you too. I've received some really lovely notes and comments about this summer series. Things have felt completely out of my control over here. Jumping into the deep end of a pool in a couple weeks, and I'm not at all sure that I'll be able to swim. So having these small, practical things to focus on each week has been a real help. Put things into some kind of perspective. Reminded me to be present. Here. Now. Thank you for helping me do that.

+++++++++++++++++++

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.
9. Laugh!
10. Make space.
11. Fail well.
12. Celebrate!
13. Pay Attention.
14. Say thanks.

Paying Attention :: Revisited

2009-08-18T19:05:00.002-04:00

You know how when you buy a green Honda, all of a sudden you see green Hondas everywhere?

It's the same with paying attention. Once you make space, it's a little shocking how many things speak. I've been wrestling with jealousy this week. I'll spare you the gory details, but when I took the time to listen (instead of pushing it away) I learned that it was never about anyone else. I don't begrudge anyone else opportunities they have. I just want it too, you know? Here's the rub... I don't even know what IT is, and I'm not doing anything to get wherever IT is hanging out sipping an iced cappuccino.

I've seen so many blog posts this week that are giving me a good cuff, but none better than a series by Zack Arias. Interestingly, it all started when Arias paid attention to an email. And then paid attention to the most fabulous door-to-door salesman you'll likely ever meet. And then paid attention to the hundreds of people who put up their hands and said... 'Me too'. Arias is a photographer, and speaks from that place. Click anyway. Everything applies equally well if you long to be a great baker/mother/musician/writer/student or whatever else it is that makes you excited to see the sun rise.

Or even if you're curious to know what It is, and where it's hanging out.

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 13

2009-08-17T22:35:00.003-04:00

Would you believe it if I told you I was busy worrying when I saw this? For real. An unmistakable message from the Universe and the One who made it. I know that worrying doesn't help, but find my mind churning none-the-less. Sometimes it seems as if I'm just waiting for permission to stop...

I wonder how many other powerful messages I would catch if only I would pay attention.

+++++++++++++++++++

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.
9. Laugh!
10. Make space.
11. Fail well.
12. Celebrate!
13. Pay Attention.

Celebration x2

2009-08-14T09:04:00.002-04:00

Okay, so ya'll are fabulous and clearly know how to celebrate! If you haven't read the comments in the last post, they're great. Thanks to all for helping me celebrate, and for giving me such a wonderful, tangible reminder of why I keep doing this. I've met the most amazing people... And that needed a little more celebration. So there are actually two gifts going out.

First, Rob Bell's Drops Like Stars goes to (#9 of 11 unique peeps, minus Mike) Heather! I am quite sure I could not find your address here if my life depended on it, Heather. So I'll be asking for it again. Yay!

Second, we're helping someone else celebrate! My friend Claudia Mair Burney is shaking the Inkster dust from her feet and moving to Lexington. Not only will she keep writing from her new home, but she'll be part of community, a ministry for trafficked women, and will have the chance to get her family somewhere beautiful and healing. The current situation is not good, and she has asked for help to get her moved. You can read it straight from Mair here. I love Mair. If you've ever read her books, I'm sure that you love her too. And there is something so beautiful in moving through fear to ask for what you need. When I looked at the folks who took the time to leave a comment, I knew that this was a perfect way to cap off the celebration, so I added something to the pot in your honour. If you'd like to do the same, just head over.

Yay! Kel pointed out that I'd reached the half-decade point lol! What do you say we keep doing this for a little while longer? :)

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 12

2009-08-10T22:07:00.001-04:00

Celebrate everyone you can. Celebrate everything you can. Often. There is much to take your breath away... Sunrise, sunset. The lift and rise of a flock of black birds as they form clouds over a newly plowed field. The generosity of a friend. A cool breeze at just the right time. Mashed potatoes. Reading a book that leaves you convinced that you're not alone. Spending time with God. Spending time with those he loves. Spending time. Time. It's all marvelous.

This blog, as messy, random and sporadic as it is, has been a huge gift to me. It has helped me process life as it shifts and changes into something I never would have predicted. It has lead me to some of the most amazing friends and opportunities.

And it's been doing that for five years. My blog anniversary was on Saturday. And that seemed like a pretty good reason to celebrate :)

My friend The HopeMonger introduced me to Rob Bell's book Drops Like Stars. I love this book. It really deserves it's own post... and perhaps I will review it once I've gone through it again. But in the meantime, I'd like to give one away. Just leave a comment sharing what you're celebrating these days. The one thing that makes a celebration better is having folks to share it with :)

+++++++++++++

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.
9. Laugh!
10. Make space.
11. Fail well.
12. Celebrate!

Friday Linky Love

2009-08-07T15:31:00.002-04:00

Reading The Non-Violent Atonement

Listening to William Fitzsimmons. Did I already tell you that? Doesn't matter. I still am.

Watching a one year walk + a beard via Loobylu

from Christoph Rehage on Vimeo.

Eating green stuff.

Admiring window farms!!

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 11

2009-08-07T11:30:00.001-04:00

You fail, girl. Get over it.

Can't helping loving the irony of writing a post about failure four days late. Late. It's a constant theme in my life. And I'm seeing more and more that in most cases, I'm the one who imposes the deadlines. I'm the one who makes the strict rules about what it looks like to do well, or in more cases what it looks like to fail. I fail a lot.

Thinking about an email exchange with a photographer friend, and for the third time he points out how hard I am on my work. I am. Super harsh personal critic. It keeps me from showing up here sometimes. From showing up in relationships. From showing up for opportunities. And when I do show up, I can be wrapped up so tightly in fear I rarely fully engage.

So, I fail. Occasionally it impacts others, but most often I am the only one disappointed. The earth does not stop spinning. Life doesn't unravel. It doesn't.

Wonder what would happen if I could just lean into this for a while...

"Use what talent you possess - the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best."
-Henry Van Dyke

++++++++++++++

The List

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.
9. Laugh!
10. Make space.
11. Fail well.

Two Great Ways to Give

2009-08-05T18:35:00.002-04:00

Here are two very cool ways to invest in Kingdom. I'd kinda like to challenge you to pick one and go for it... but I'm feeling rather cheeky and am going to challenge you to pick both! Ha!

Child Sponsorship: In November '08 I wrote about my experience at the dump in Manzini, Swaziland. I was profoundly moved by visiting a carepoint in the slum outside the dump. It was one of those life-altering experiences you never forget, ever. Well, I just got word from Vince Giordano at Children's HopeChest that we have the chance to get that carepoint sponsored. You can watch a video here about the carepoint. If you don't already sponsor a child, please think seriously about this fantastic opportunity.

Short-cut giving: My friend Mike Todd is headed back to Africa. Each time he goes, he gives us the opportunity to bless people in need in very direct ways. No organizations. No paperwork or red tape. Mike + gifts from friends + people in need = tangible expressions of God's love. Mike always reports back on how the funds were spent. He's suggesting that people give up a coffee or toss in the little bit of cash rattling around the bottom of your paypal account. Mike's well-known and respected. Pop over and see where some of the funds are going.

Smells like Kingdom... woooot!

Friday Linky Love on Saturday

2009-08-01T09:03:00.002-04:00

Reading Ezekiel, because a friend said it's her favourite. I'm not seeing it.

Listening to Imogen Heap's version of Hallelujah

Watching meditative time lapse + a cow. via Mike Todd.

Eating whatever sugar I can get my hands on, despite the fact that I've got a fridge full of yummy veg. Sigh.

Admiring The Dinner Garden via Edible Aria.

Who is my neighbour?

2009-07-31T12:09:00.003-04:00

No, really. Who is my neighbour?

I don't often make comments here on current events. There is enough ink & bandwidth spent without my offerings. But I can't quite shake what happened with Gates at Harvard. There is much to be discussed about racism (which I believe to be alive and well most everywhere), and racial profiling (ditto), and many other important issues. On the radio yesterday, heard the anguish of the woman who made the 911 call, now facing personal threats and attacks after doing what she believes was the right thing. But there is one thing no one else seems bothered by...

It breaks my heart that these two neighbours didn't recognize each other.

In my humble and very limited opinion, it seems that the only way to usher in peace, justice, and KINGDOM is to meet each other, spend time with one another, know each other... at the very least, wave and say 'hey' at the end of the driveway.

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 10

2009-07-27T21:39:00.000-04:00

For some, it is the coziness of the urban jungle that brings comfort. For some, the embrace of a forest. For me it has always been big skies that take my breath away, that bring on a sense of hush and sacredness. I've made some of the biggest decisions of my life walking under a big sky. It doesn't matter where... the western Canadian Prairie, the wide plain at Big Bend (Swaziland), or closer to home on the shore of a Great Lake.

Those big skies give me space to unpack myself. All those thoughts and dreams... and fears that linger. Under a big sky there is room for all the hidden things to come out and play. It's time, I think...

************

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.
9. Laugh!
10. Make space.

Friday Linky Love

2009-07-24T06:16:00.003-04:00

You can smell Kingdom all over this.

If I weren't going to be out of the country for a third of the time, I would totally be doing this.

This too.

And this? This reminds me of the power of art. Reminds me what can happen when craft is art.

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 9

2009-07-20T18:39:00.003-04:00

I used to be 'that girl with the laugh. you know. that one with the really loud laugh'. Where did she go? When did everything become soveryimportant? Always putting out fires. At least it feels that way sometimes.

Lighten up, girl! The world will not fall off it's axis if you take some time to slow down. Or heaven forbid... to laugh. The world does not need one more slave to urgent. The world does need one more person to laugh.

Go on. Do it.

************

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.
9. Laugh!

Friday Linky Love

2009-07-17T22:11:00.000-04:00

Clearing up a chunk of cool and completely unrelated links I've been stockpiling:

Canning parties. How granola have I become, that I think this is a really good idea?!
Mobile Drive-In movies. For real. See if there's one near you. How cool?!

Jen Lemen gives me hope that it's actually possible to become who you were always meant to be.
The most amazing photo essays found via the threads of The Vision Collective.

Things could always be worse...

2009-07-16T20:25:00.004-04:00

So, I live in an old building. No screens on the windows. No problem. I live on the second floor and the windows open from the top, so the only issue with having the windows wide open is flies. I'm no fan of flies. No problem. There is a fly strip hanging in one room. Slightly gross, but it does the trick.

So my best guess is that the wind was coming from the west, and it blew the fly strip down.

I didn't notice this of course. When I walked in the door from work I noticed the answering machine blinking (yes, I still use an answering machine thankyouverymuch). Someone from L*fthansa. Things were looking up. I spent most of yesterday on the phone with various call centers belonging to said airline, V*sa and Am*rican Expr*ss. By the end of yesterday, no only did I not have the ticket I thought I'd purchased days earlier, but because of a mistake L*fthansa was repeating over and over, I couldn't buy a new ticket because said airline had completely jammed up my credit cards. But things appeared to be worked out today. Maybe. Though it was hard to tell initially because I was a little distracted.

So I'm talking to the latest call center employee when I notice one of my cats tear across the kitchen. She then tears across in the other direction. And this is repeated several more times. It actually takes a minute to register what's going on. She finally hides under the dining room table, in the center of all the chair legs. She is clearly freaked out.

No wonder. My cat has an entire fly strip stuck to her ass.

So if you're having a bad day, just remember that it could always be worse. You could be having a bad day and have a fly strip stuck to your ass.

postscript: the fly strip is gone, but there's no telling how long the offended area will be sticky, or how long it will take for her to come out from under the table. And if the word 'ass' bothers you, I'm sorry.

Update to the postscript (July 20): The cat in question is back to her normal skittish self. And the airline in question finally got their act together. Only took 7 days and 8 hours on the phone.

CSA Week 5

2009-07-15T13:06:00.000-04:00

Lost track there for a bit. But I want to keep a record of this experience, so this is a bit of a catch up post. This week my food has come both from my CSA basket, with the addition of some fresh veg from the garden I share with friends. It has been amazing, and I am still so so happy with this!

The photos above were taken this week. In between the salad and rhubarb mini-loaves I ate a fantastic veggie lasagna layered with zucchini, rainbow chard and garlic scapes.

Salad
from the garden...
-red leaf lettuce
-celery (the whole thing, including the leafy bits at the top chopped up)
from the CSA basket...
-garlic scapes
-radish
-cucumber

Veggie Lasagna
from the garden...
-zucchini (the first one!)
-fresh basil + parsley
from the CSA basket...
-roasted tomato sauce (I made with a couple weeks worth of red tomatoes and fresh garlic)
-rainbow chard + garlic scapes (sauteed together before assembly)
-fresh sage

Rhubarb Strudel Mini-Loafs
from the CSA basket...
-rhubarb

Besides what is mentioned above, I've also been eating sprouts, green onions, strawberries, yellow tomatoes, asparagus, and home-made strawberry jam. Wooot!

Fighting Chance

2009-07-14T10:03:00.002-04:00

"What do I get for this? I said & the angel gave me a catalog filled with toasters & clock radios & a basketball signed by Michael Jordan & I said, But this is just stuff & the angel smiled at me & swallowed me in her arms. I'm so glad you said that, she whispered to me. I knew you still had a chance."

-from Story People

The Summer of Rediscovering my Life: 8

2009-07-13T20:04:00.004-04:00

Get you feet dirty, girl. Not the usual daily grime from wearing sandals. No, get your feet into some soil. Reconnect. Pull some weeds while you're at it. Harvest some veg. Marvel at how amazing it all is. Take some time to soak in the reality of how blessed you are. Thank Creator while you wiggle your toes in the miracle of it all.

************

The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.
4. Explore a little farther afield.
5. Do that thing that brings you life.
6. Spend time with old friends.
7. Seek out the wisdom around me.
8. Get my feet dirty.