10/24/2025
As I come closer to the end of this two-week mental health pause, I have found myself beginning to feel ready to face the world again. Last night I ventured for the first time back to my beloved space. I was relieved to find all houseplants still alive and much happier than I feared they might be. It was like I’d never left.
I’ve been reconnecting recently with my dance bud from college, . I haven’t talked about it much yet on this page, but dance is a huge part of my history and practice and what makes me feel alive. Last night, I found myself in the studio singing, messing around, and making a little something movement-based for the first time in more than a year. What an absolute honor to have a little space to tend to, to come to, and to hold whatever I bring in.
It’s been a really tough slog these past several years, likely for most of us. We are tired, we are sad, we are angry, we are hurting. I think a lot of us are struggling just to stay alive! Something my therapist has been encouraging me to do lately is to s l o w d o w n ~ It’s like driving in the snow. Accelerate slowly and gradually to gain traction, and avoid spinning out and getting stuck.
As I’ve been slowing down this past week, I’ve noticed some sweet things ~ what my friend Rebecca calls “tiny magic”. The thing that stands out most is a ladybug and a fly of sorts playing with their own shadows on my bedroom ceiling (always thrilling to be reminded that ladybugs can fly!!!) 🐞 Our culture has become so fast paced over the past decades, that I think we are often kind of missing the point. In order to fully enjoy our time on this planet, the key is not to do more, to have more, to accomplish more, to consume more. The key is to slow down. No more pushing or forcing. Less grasping, less rushing toward a future goal. The best way I’ve found to live a good life is to settle in, take it slower, notice, receive, and appreciate. Begin to find a little softness around the edges ~ and give thanks. That way, we can be present and hold ourselves and each other through the hard times. And we can be open to the hope that things might get better. (Ending in comments)
