oh Anna, that poem brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
I have a practice in February of each year where I take a photo every day, of something I find good or beautiful that day. I have been sharing them in the chat of my newsletter (or whatever substack is calling it these days). It's a way of training my attention, even in the dark harsh winter, towards the good, the lovely, the kind. I wanted to offer this practice to you as well, and anyone reading this, as a gift.
what a great idea! We have been talking about focusing on the good in our life. I love the one photo a day to remind us of what is here but sometime hiding in the darkness around us. Thanks
Thank you for this reminder of the importance of the routine moments of each day. I loved taking time to reflect back on just yesterday and those before in this week… the everydays and the people who are a part of my everydays. Thank you, too, for sharing Naomi’s poem. I’ve savored it before; today was an especially good day for another taste. Safe travels.
I cried at the poem too, as so many others here did! I'm so glad I answered 'yes' to my inner ticker tape of my to dos...do I have time to sit and ponder what Anna has written? Yes. Thank goodness. Yes.
I’m going to take days off from reading even writers I really like, about the state of the nation. It’s too late to begin today, but reading this is protective. So grounding. Such a good reminder to stay in the moment.
I might talk to my local library about book purchasing there. I read about such interesting books on many sub stacks, yours today for example, that are not available at the library. I like buying books, but I would love it if some of these books, which have turned out to be Favorite Books, were available at the library.
See if you’re library has interlibrary loan as well, sometimes you can get others thing through that as well :) but I love asking my local library to stock things too 😍
GREAT edition, Anna. I think about this all the time. I'm grateful that I've got a book to write and like-minded people here on Substack to talk with.
One way I think about "What's good" is to ask, "How can I turn inward?" How can I ensure that I journal every day, that I focus on the projects that bring me the highest sense of purpose? I love a biography of Emerson, THE MIND ON FIRE. The Emerson that emerges in those pages is one who extols a belief that all people are lit from within with the divine.
Any time I'm distracted, any time I'm outraged, I return to that idea of divinity within and think "How can I turn inward?" and find the thing that'll keep me productive, keep me sane.
To the extent it's helpful for you or anyone else who reads this, I pass it along.
I love the question “What’s good?”. For me, it was being awakened by the haunting sound of a train whistle far across the river, as the train trundled is way through the Newport News. And being awakened again by the melodious trilling of a screech owl. What’s good is being able to travel from my own home to help my increasingly frail mother who is still living independently at 93 (I need to work on mitigating the resentment and annoyance that I feel). What’s good is seeing people rise up against the current administration and push back against their horrific policies that benefit no one except the oligarchs and authoritarians around the world.
Thank you and may your travels be safe and rewarding. 🙏🏻❤️
Anna, this is beautiful and so needed. I, too, have read Naomi's poem before, but reading it in the context of your letter, I had a real cry, which I guess is something we just have to do when grief is part of our days. I'm a musician, and the way you wrote about your "everydayness" made me think of a metronome and how it keeps your rhythm steady. It helps you slow down and stay slow enough that you can be really intentional with how you are playing and build muscle memory carefully. I often find if I'm not paying attention, reading the news, spending too much time on a screen, the internal metronome I have going speeds up. If I tune into the rhythm my heartbeat is giving me, or the trees, or the hills, I am so much steadier. My days are full of all sorts of tasks and obligations; I'm trying to be extra intentional about the pacing.
oh Anna, that poem brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
I have a practice in February of each year where I take a photo every day, of something I find good or beautiful that day. I have been sharing them in the chat of my newsletter (or whatever substack is calling it these days). It's a way of training my attention, even in the dark harsh winter, towards the good, the lovely, the kind. I wanted to offer this practice to you as well, and anyone reading this, as a gift.
Thanks again.
What a lovely practice!
what a great idea! We have been talking about focusing on the good in our life. I love the one photo a day to remind us of what is here but sometime hiding in the darkness around us. Thanks
I love this practice, such a good intangible idea for this month, especially in this year. I’ll take extra shots today to catch up in the month!
Thank you for this reminder of the importance of the routine moments of each day. I loved taking time to reflect back on just yesterday and those before in this week… the everydays and the people who are a part of my everydays. Thank you, too, for sharing Naomi’s poem. I’ve savored it before; today was an especially good day for another taste. Safe travels.
I cried at the poem too, as so many others here did! I'm so glad I answered 'yes' to my inner ticker tape of my to dos...do I have time to sit and ponder what Anna has written? Yes. Thank goodness. Yes.
I’m going to take days off from reading even writers I really like, about the state of the nation. It’s too late to begin today, but reading this is protective. So grounding. Such a good reminder to stay in the moment.
I might talk to my local library about book purchasing there. I read about such interesting books on many sub stacks, yours today for example, that are not available at the library. I like buying books, but I would love it if some of these books, which have turned out to be Favorite Books, were available at the library.
Thank you for the titles you suggest.
See if you’re library has interlibrary loan as well, sometimes you can get others thing through that as well :) but I love asking my local library to stock things too 😍
GREAT edition, Anna. I think about this all the time. I'm grateful that I've got a book to write and like-minded people here on Substack to talk with.
One way I think about "What's good" is to ask, "How can I turn inward?" How can I ensure that I journal every day, that I focus on the projects that bring me the highest sense of purpose? I love a biography of Emerson, THE MIND ON FIRE. The Emerson that emerges in those pages is one who extols a belief that all people are lit from within with the divine.
Any time I'm distracted, any time I'm outraged, I return to that idea of divinity within and think "How can I turn inward?" and find the thing that'll keep me productive, keep me sane.
To the extent it's helpful for you or anyone else who reads this, I pass it along.
I love the question “What’s good?”. For me, it was being awakened by the haunting sound of a train whistle far across the river, as the train trundled is way through the Newport News. And being awakened again by the melodious trilling of a screech owl. What’s good is being able to travel from my own home to help my increasingly frail mother who is still living independently at 93 (I need to work on mitigating the resentment and annoyance that I feel). What’s good is seeing people rise up against the current administration and push back against their horrific policies that benefit no one except the oligarchs and authoritarians around the world.
Thank you and may your travels be safe and rewarding. 🙏🏻❤️
This landed and transported me and most importantly slowed me down!
Happy to hear that Adam!!
Anna, this is beautiful and so needed. I, too, have read Naomi's poem before, but reading it in the context of your letter, I had a real cry, which I guess is something we just have to do when grief is part of our days. I'm a musician, and the way you wrote about your "everydayness" made me think of a metronome and how it keeps your rhythm steady. It helps you slow down and stay slow enough that you can be really intentional with how you are playing and build muscle memory carefully. I often find if I'm not paying attention, reading the news, spending too much time on a screen, the internal metronome I have going speeds up. If I tune into the rhythm my heartbeat is giving me, or the trees, or the hills, I am so much steadier. My days are full of all sorts of tasks and obligations; I'm trying to be extra intentional about the pacing.
Thank you for this gentle hug this morning. I’ll hold you tight as I head out the door, passing your hug on to every soul I meet.
Thank you.
Definitely crying.
For the record, you and Gretchen are the ones who sent me that poem a couple of years ago!
💚