What has been my story of the past several months? What has brought me joy? Where have I faced challenges?
In a year hallmarked by fear and confinement, it’s all the unexpecteds that define this moment. Letting go of the entitlement within us that expects life to be easy or fair or linear and looking as if with fresh eyes at the beauties that would never have revealed themselves were not for such confinement: the creativity born of boredom, the moments of intimacy due to being together, the gifts of reflection that surfaced solely because regular routine and business as usual were blown up. Balancing the physical and emotional toll of caretaking so many more people than usual, and of giving and creating beyond what one thought was possible arises a new appreciation for our vulnerability. Of course we are susceptible, of course our systems are not perfect, of course we need to renew our broken promise to the earth and the generations who follow us, of course work matters less than we thought, of course connection is all there is. And most unexpected all is the baby I never thought would never live, somehow – through hard work, enormous amounts of loving and his own life force – turns three and runs across the yard just as Joel predicted he would.
Hugs to everyone,
Justine, Jeff, Sam, Grace, Charlie, Jack and Henry
