05/09/2025
This season brought me back to my heart.
I came home to myself through words, poems, and stories.
Writing has taught me how to slow down- the words come to me over
time, they come down and drop into the body. I learned that I must be
present to receive them.
Last year, I made a big life decision to leave my professor role. It
was a hard decision to come to, but it was necessary. And this summer,
I actually had space to live, breathe, write, and be.
I earned my master’s at 21. As a first-gen Dominican, I made the most of my resources and did the best I could. In my 20s, I hustled, worked, and served.
Now at 32, I am learning to slow down - I’m discovering I don’t have to carry it all the time. I also learned that I don’t want to carry it all the time; I’ve come to realize I, too, need and deserve rest.
This shift has changed me. My dream as a baby therapist was to have a
private practice and be a professor, and I’ve achieved that. I am proud of myself, I did it.
&
Instead of asking myself what is next, I am choosing to step into the now.
To practice gratitude for myself and for those who have supported me
along the way.
To practice presence with myself and my loved ones.
To tend to the land and its people.
To serve with heart.
With love and respect,
Dariela 🌹
