Love this remembering. To receive well, with genuine compassion and notice is often the greatest gift we can give back to the things and the people we love. Especially to receive nature.
Wonderful, Cassandra - thank you. I love the suggestion that we can 'receive well' - as if we could also receive without truly being present for it, or receive without truly accepting it, or even receive without feeling deserving of it. Beautiful.
I’ve been reading Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “The Serviceberry” to prepare for Anna Mercury’s book club next Sunday. As I was reading and my 11 year old son was getting ready for school last week (having never read anything from the book!), he said: “Mom, isn’t it so strange that humans are the only animals that pay to live on earth?” This was such a poetically simple translation of the entire book’s message that I felt instantly blown away by his spirit’s interconnection with mine (and Robin’s and Anna’s!) as I am again now to all of our connections with your breathtakingly beautiful spirit, Sez.
I literally picked up "The Serviceberry" last week, Grace. I love books that act like remedies on my shelf - this was one of them. Your son (the same age as my own) reminds us of where we got lost along the way - where reciprocity became privatized and we suddenly needed to earn a 'living' - What a thoughtful reflection. When I read it to my son and daughter, they were far more focused on the fact that we didn't have berries where we live in Australia - they wanted to go back to Denmark to fill their buckets :) I love the 'rules for foraging' in the middle of the book - they are great reminders for life. Thank you for sharing, Grace - what a beautiful coincidence!
Beautiful Sez. I found a magnolia pod last week, not quite knowing what it was and looked at its husky form and dangling threads of red seeds - just like nature’s Christmas ornament. So unique and full of life. I imagine your birds are eating the seeds, taking nourishment then returning them to earth with their fertilising bottoms… reciprocal splendour…
Oh, to trust that even when I feel tapped out and tired (which is often these days), I will have what I need and more. There is very much a part of me that still lives out a story of limited time and energy—but with attention I see all the ways love and support are flowing. In all directions.
Yesterday, I received an overwhelmingly beautiful message of gratitude from a girl (now woman) who was one of my troubled high school students ten years ago. And what truly struck me is that I was what I would consider to be in crisis at that time. Barely able to pull myself out of bed many days—dealing with illness, and living in a place far from all that was familiar. And yet, something was still flowing out—able to give. How could that be? But it is.
And that woman filled me with her words yesterday, blessing me with what I needed, when I believed my well was running dry. Reciprocity❤️🙏🏻
I heard a podcast on the modern science of gratitude that really stuck with me a few years ago. The neuroscientist host said traditional reflecting/journaling practices around what we’re grateful for is fine—but that there’s now mounting research that gratitude is HEALING—in a measurably potent, physiologically transformational way—when we RECEIVE sincere gratitude in relationship, especially when the gratitude is attached to the giver’s unique narrative. He specifically mentions receiving gratitude letters (like the one your student sent you!) as being particularly effective medicine🤯
Love this remembering. To receive well, with genuine compassion and notice is often the greatest gift we can give back to the things and the people we love. Especially to receive nature.
Wonderful, Cassandra - thank you. I love the suggestion that we can 'receive well' - as if we could also receive without truly being present for it, or receive without truly accepting it, or even receive without feeling deserving of it. Beautiful.
This was breathtaking—and giving—to read.
I’ve been reading Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “The Serviceberry” to prepare for Anna Mercury’s book club next Sunday. As I was reading and my 11 year old son was getting ready for school last week (having never read anything from the book!), he said: “Mom, isn’t it so strange that humans are the only animals that pay to live on earth?” This was such a poetically simple translation of the entire book’s message that I felt instantly blown away by his spirit’s interconnection with mine (and Robin’s and Anna’s!) as I am again now to all of our connections with your breathtakingly beautiful spirit, Sez.
Gift received. Again. Thank you, Sez.
I literally picked up "The Serviceberry" last week, Grace. I love books that act like remedies on my shelf - this was one of them. Your son (the same age as my own) reminds us of where we got lost along the way - where reciprocity became privatized and we suddenly needed to earn a 'living' - What a thoughtful reflection. When I read it to my son and daughter, they were far more focused on the fact that we didn't have berries where we live in Australia - they wanted to go back to Denmark to fill their buckets :) I love the 'rules for foraging' in the middle of the book - they are great reminders for life. Thank you for sharing, Grace - what a beautiful coincidence!
Stunning🙏🏻♾️
Love this - 'its pear-green armor
patterned like a turtle’s shell'..... such a beautiful piece...
Just beautiful. 💞
Beautiful Sez. I found a magnolia pod last week, not quite knowing what it was and looked at its husky form and dangling threads of red seeds - just like nature’s Christmas ornament. So unique and full of life. I imagine your birds are eating the seeds, taking nourishment then returning them to earth with their fertilising bottoms… reciprocal splendour…
What a divine comment, Caroline. It is poetry in itself, thank you. Love the 'fertilizing bottoms' - gratitude in action!
That poem is so real—
Oh, to trust that even when I feel tapped out and tired (which is often these days), I will have what I need and more. There is very much a part of me that still lives out a story of limited time and energy—but with attention I see all the ways love and support are flowing. In all directions.
Yesterday, I received an overwhelmingly beautiful message of gratitude from a girl (now woman) who was one of my troubled high school students ten years ago. And what truly struck me is that I was what I would consider to be in crisis at that time. Barely able to pull myself out of bed many days—dealing with illness, and living in a place far from all that was familiar. And yet, something was still flowing out—able to give. How could that be? But it is.
And that woman filled me with her words yesterday, blessing me with what I needed, when I believed my well was running dry. Reciprocity❤️🙏🏻
I heard a podcast on the modern science of gratitude that really stuck with me a few years ago. The neuroscientist host said traditional reflecting/journaling practices around what we’re grateful for is fine—but that there’s now mounting research that gratitude is HEALING—in a measurably potent, physiologically transformational way—when we RECEIVE sincere gratitude in relationship, especially when the gratitude is attached to the giver’s unique narrative. He specifically mentions receiving gratitude letters (like the one your student sent you!) as being particularly effective medicine🤯
https://youtu.be/KVjfFN89qvQ?si=RtK_CDRPPlQURIcd
If you wanna check it out, the part about the gratitude letters is 36ish minutes in, Natalie💞
I will listen to this! Thank you, Grace. Makes me think about gratitude notes I’m ready to write…