Heal with Marj

01/08/2025

01/06/2025

A message from our co-owner Kara Juszczak!

I'm so proud that the Tree of Hope Foundation is up and running - this is a non-profit founded and developed with mental health access in mind. As co-owner of Tree of Hope Counseling, we know that there's so much work to do in our community and the Foundation allows us to offer services to our community at low or no cost, partner with other programs/agencies, and educate professionals to keep doing this important work! That being said, the Foundation is partnering with Comedy at the Carlson to offer a fun night while also fundraising for the Foundation's work! Mark your calendars now and get your tickets! https://ci.ovationtix.com/35843/production/1216393?performanceId=11536613

01/02/2025

Before you jump straight in to telling yourself how to be better this year…

Before you look in the mirror and tell yourself how to look better this year…

Before you write down all the things you plan to do better this year…

Maybe take a moment to sit with the person you are right now. The one who has gotten you this far.
The one who has helped you over however many hurdles and shared with you so many successes.

Maybe take a minute to recognise all of the ways you are already so much better than you realised.

Recognise your strength,
your courage,
your kindness,
your resolve.

And hold on to that.
Don’t discard the you that got you here.
Don’t shame her,
guilt her,
doubt her.

But love her instead.

And maybe you’ll realise
that - despite what you first thought -
there isn’t quite as much ‘bettering’ to be done
after all.

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024
Beautiful artwork by Judít Labòría at Pilgrim of the Moon art.

12/29/2024

I once designed a teapot
It was short and it was stout
It had a handle but I didn’t
Hollow out the spout

So when I filled it up
And tried to pour a cup of tea
It didn’t pour a thing
And it was useless as could be

One time I found an empty box
Or empty I assumed
But when I opened up the lid
There wasn’t any room

For me to store the things
I had been saving for so long
There simply wasn’t space for them;
No place where they belonged

And once I found a door
I didn’t know where it would lead
I searched the room around me
But I couldn’t find the key

And so I leant against it
Sad that I could not explore
Whatever might be waiting
In the space behind the door

And as I think about the box,
The door, the pot of tea,
I realise how important
Sometimes nothingness can be

How there’s magic in the space
Between asleep and wide awake
There’s peace within the silence
Of the pauses that we take

There’s joy in quiet thoughts
About the past; of what has been
There’s beauty in the standing still
To see what can be seen

There’s something quite exciting
‘Bout the space between the stars
And in those waiting moments
When a film’s about to start

There’s wonder in a balloon
That fills and rises with the air
There’s such a lot that we can feel
When not a lot is there

So hold the space you need my friend
And don’t apologise
Your space is where your wonder lives
And where your magic lies

It’s where you learn to breathe again
Where dreams can dare to soar
And you never know what’s waiting
In that space beyond the door

*****

Becky Hemsley 2023
Fabulous artwork by Michele Dodds

Space is from my latest collection: https://amzn.eu/d/e3WLqTW

12/22/2024

Official 2024 Community Voting Awards Platform for Rochester, NY. Where the community votes for their favorites every year.

12/22/2024

“The winter solstice time is no longer celebrated as it once was, with the understanding that this is a period of descent and rest, of going within our homes, within ourselves and taking in all that we have been through, all that has passed in this full year which is coming to a close... like nature and the animal kingdom around us, this time of hibernation is so necessary for our tired limbs, our burdened minds.

Our modern culture teaches avoidance at a max at this time; alcohol, lights, shopping, overworking, over spending, comfort food and consumerism.

And yet the natural tug to go inwards as nearly all creatures are doing is strong and the weather so bitter that people are left feeling that winter is hard, because for those of us without burning fires and big festive families, it can be lonely and isolating. Whereas in actual fact winter is kind, she points us in her quiet soft way towards our inner self, towards this annual time of peace and reflection, embracing the darkness and forgiving, accepting and loving embracing goodbye the past year.

"Winter takes away the distractions, the buzz, and presents us with the perfect time to rest and withdraw into a womb like love, bringing fire & light to our hearth".
. and then, just around the corner the new year will begin again, and like a seed planted deep in the earth, we will all rise with renewed energy once again to dance in the sunlight.

Life is a gift a Happy winter to you all...''

•

Beautiful words of remembrance by brigitannamcneill
With love
Fiona

www.earthmonk.guru

12/14/2024

Don’t wait til I’m gone
And then stand up to speak
About all the things
That you loved about me

Don’t sing all my praises
Through all of your tears
When I am no longer
Beside you to hear

Don’t leave all that love
Like a secret unsaid
But tell me tomorrow
Or right now instead

And I’ll tell you too
Of the things I admire
About who you are
And how much you inspire

I’ll speak from my heart
Whilst you’re still here to know
“You are” not “you were”
Or “it used to be so”

I’ll speak of your light
Whilst you’ll still hear the words
And not leave that love
In the darkness, unheard

So tell me tomorrow
Or right now - don’t wait
Because we don’t know
When it might be too late

Because we don’t know
When our time might be up
And we need to hear - while we are here -
How we’re loved

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024
Beautiful artwork by Snehal Pendurkar

‘Tell Me Tomorrow’ is a poem from my newest collection: https://a.co/d/f95s0zG

11/19/2024

Always remember that you can choose to ignore any holiday, no matter what anyone else says.

11/10/2024

I sent you a present last night you know
Though it didn’t address you by name
It was all of those meteors showering, dancing
And falling to earth like the rain

I wrote you a letter last week you know
But it won’t have arrived in the post
I wrote on the bright coloured curves of a rainbow
The reasons I missed you the most

I sent you a message just yesterday
But it wasn’t a message in words
For I spoke to the wind and I taught her our song
And I asked her to make sure you heard

I drew you a picture last Tuesday
But you may not have noticed it there
For I drew round the clouds with the rays of the sun
So they glowed as they hung in the air

No, you may not get gifts like you used to
Or get messages stored on your phone
But I’ll make sure I’m sending something each day
So you know that you’re never alone

And tomorrow I’ll paint something wonderful
I don’t know quite yet what it will be
But I promise you’ll know when you see it
That it’s sent just to you

Love from me

###

******

Becky Hemsley 2023
Stunning artwork by Liliya Vasilyeva

'Presents' is the last poem in the book When I Am Gone: https://a.co/d/3Gr3Zds

10/23/2024

Aurora House (a Hospice House) Meeting tomorrow night at 6:30 pm, come join us.

We are going to be offering a Grief & Loss support group here at the Aurora House. If you are interested click on the link below to sign up.
https://conta.cc/4gbDqjr

10/23/2024

Meeting tomorrow night at 6:30 pm.

We are going to be offering a Grief & Loss support group here at the Aurora House. If you are interested click on the link below to sign up.
https://conta.cc/4gbDqjr

10/23/2024

The importance of rest