Category: Creating

Drink the Special Tea

I’m going through everything I own, preparing to fit back into Elereen—my Honda Element—asking if I want to bring each item forward into my next life season. I used to experience this more often, the going through things and packing, about once every six months or year.

Since 2006, this has been my longest amount of time (2.5 years) living in the same place.

“The place” since April 2021 has been shared government housing for seasonal employees, so the house is furnished. After so much time with short-term housing or tent-ing, I reveled in having a house and got items I couldn’t have before: a typewriter, a keyboard, a toaster oven.

Those were the first items in my donate pile as I began going through everything a last week.

The act of going through all my material possessions always illuminates helpful information, like I had that book when I moved into this house, and I still haven’t read it. Donate.

Another phenomenon that comes to light while packing—whether I’ve been living out of two suitcases, a backpack, or an SUV—is that I discover I’ve held on to something consumable, but haven’t used it because it seemed too precious.

I’ve become more aware of this over the years, consciously choosing to light the candles, burn the incense, send the stationary. Take pleasure now. Trust the abundance.

And still I’m finding precious unused things as I pack this time around:

Moroccan loose leaf tea that a friend mailed me in 2020. She said it was one of her favorite teas, very special and rare in her family’s traditions. So I wasn’t going to just drink it. I was going to save it for a ceremony, some special occasion. And here it still is.

Big sheets of handmade paper from Tibet. The manager of a Buddhist retreat center had gifted them to me during my six-month stay there, before moving here. I made a six-envelope folder early on, and use it often since that’s where I keep stamps. Yet as I sit here, three weeks before going back to that same retreat center, I still have a full black sheet, half blue, and a quarter beige of this Special Paper.

It happens, dear one. No sweat.

Now that I’ve noticed, I get to choose what to do with this information.

And so, this morning, I’m brewing pots of that Special Tea I received over three years ago and drinking it with presence, noticing the subtle changes in color and taste.

I’m folding a different type of folder with the Special Paper, because making things with paper lights up my soul.

To you, reading these words wherever you are, I encourage you: Drink the Special Tea, use your Special Paper, read the book or pass it along.

Bask in the joys — because today we are breathing, today we are feeling, today we are.

And isn’t life worth the most delightful celebrations?

Time, Asking, and Presence

Hello, friends.

Today I want to share three experiences with you, which bring more light into the world.

About Time

Luke Thering (my brother) has written a three-track mini-album which reflects on time: past, present, and future. He also made an animated music video to accompany the first song, “That Old Song.”

“That Old Song” makes me feel nostalgic, fluid, and grateful for small moments.

How It Works

All proceeds from January through March 2021 will be donated, divided evenly between these three charities:

-Global Giving’s Coronavirus Relief Fund
-Equal Justice Initiative
-A Well-Fed World

Interested? You can purchase & listen to the album here.

 

Give/Ask/Receive

The Give, Ask, Receive Challenge is a 5-day challenge (March 1-5, 2021) hosted by Alexandra Franzen.

All of Alex’s teachings leave me feeling inspired, energized, and hopeful.

How It Works

“Each day of the challenge, you will GIVE (do a tiny act of generosity for someone else—like a friend, colleague, client, or even a complete stranger) and then ASK (ask for something you want—ask someone to hire you, ask for an opportunity, ask for support, or anything else).

Give. Ask. Receive. That’s it. Simple and powerful. Repeat 5 days in a row. Watch the magic that happens next!”

Interested? You can join here.

 

Presence in Post

Anna Andersson is sharing photos “of landscapes, flora, and skies that continue to bring presence, place, and sauntering to the forefront” of her life in the form of four postcards/month.

A friend gifted me this project in January. Receiving Anna’s thoughtful letter (with the postcards) and mailing out the four postcards made me feel connected, grateful, and present.

How It Works:

“Each month you’ll receive four postcards to send on to people that would love to open their mailbox to handwritten mail (maybe safe to say, everyone!). I will be including a letter each month, reflecting on the learning and stories that these captured moments gifted me.

Subscribe by the 31st of the month to receive postcards for the upcoming month.
If you’d like to cancel your subscription, make sure to do so by the 31st as well!”

Interested? You can subscribe for a month+ here.

 

Sending you a deep breath of light, here and now.

“Anne” – Mary Oliver Poem Put to Music

Yesterday afternoon, I painted my 100th portrait (Beyoncé!), finishing my project that spanned over 3 years.

While reading in bed last night, that completion energy swept over me (nothing like a move in four days to spark getting things done, right?), and I was propelled to finish something else: a song I wrote this summer.

It’s Mary Oliver’s poem “Anne” put to music. I recorded a video of myself playing it back in September, added a few bars of vocal harmony a few weeks later, and there it sat for a month.

I’d wanted to add more—a shaker for some rhythm during the chorus, perhaps a bass line, layer on some oooos so it wouldn’t feel so empty—but being a newbie to Garage Band and this whole recording thing, that also felt a little overwhelming. (Maybe that’s why I hadn’t touched it in a month.)

So I added captions and published the song to YouTube last night:

(Volume needs to be loud to hear! I’ll do better with this on this on my next video creation…)

The message in this poem deeply resonates with me—that’s why I turned it into a song!—and that’s also why I wanted the words to appear on-screen.

I’ll also include the poem here, in writing:

Anne by Mary Oliver

The daughter is mad, and so
I wonder what she will do.
But she holds her saucer softly
And sips, as people do,
From moment to moment making
Comments of rain and sun,
Till I feel my own heart shaking–
Till I am the frightened one.
O Anne, sweet Anne, brave Anne,
What did I think to see?
The rumors of the village
Have painted you savagely.
I thought you would come in anger–
A knife beneath your skirt.
I did not think to see a face
So peaceful and so hurt.
I know the trouble is there,
Under your little frown;
But when you slowly lift your cup
And when you set it down,
I feel my heart go wild, Anne,
I feel my heart go wild.
I know a hundred children,
But never before a child
Hiding so deep a trouble
Or wanting so much to please,
Or tending so desperately all
The small civilities.

 

I’m grateful for our human ability to playfully make things, the joy of beginning something new, and for Mary Oliver’s words!

Art Nights: Fall 2020

Three months into the season, I was lucky enough to meet a woman (my neighbor! Well, here’s how it happened: a man living on opposite coasts from his wife—because he firefights out West in the summers—hosts a neighborhood crawfish boil here on their anniversary, a Tuesday. I happen to go to this weeknight event, La Croix in hand, and end up sitting next to my neighbor. She’s hilarious and brilliant and kind, and why am I only now meeting you?) who a few days later invites me to a painting night with some other women nearby.

A few weeks later we do another. And another. Hosts change, materials change, the instructional YouTube videos change, but we always bring tea and laughter.

Here’s a roundup of the “Art Nights” we’ve had, should it inspire playful creation for you: Read more