earlier this month, we were gifted some lovely family time and had a much much needed break from the city. big themes around noise for me this winter. noise from the streetcar outside our apartment, noise from the honking cars, trucks passing by, noise from our phones, laptops, emails, text messages, whatsapp messages, fb messages, ig messages, ig stories, ig posts—so many thoughts and voices and opinions from so many people, known and unknown to me. SO. MANY. and then to discern and process beyond the sound/image/text bites we're mostly given? it’s a lot.

since we came back home, it's been challenging settling back in. a discomfort in my bones but such comfort to be back in our sanctuary with kusiko our cat at the same time. the unease felt/feels like tv, electrical static aggressively penetrating my peace of mind. lol so much noise again. stuff about the convoy. still plenty divide. then recently, the world was hit with news about ukraine and russia. i cannot speak on these issues because i do not know anything about their history and politics outside of american sources/propaganda. but i am deeply feeling for anyone who has been or is being affected by conflict and war.

i came across this tweet a few days ago:

“after many years of being on this website, I strongly suspect that most human brains were not meant to be aware of this many bad opinions and depressing news updates on a daily basis - for several hours a day and definitely not right after waking up or before going to bed” - @karenkho

the tweet was a good reminder that…it’s true. even if there are good opinions and happy news updates added into the mix of all that information, it’s still A LOT! how can we possibly process all of it? how do we filter? as we constantly sift, scan, discern through all of it…what’s happening to our brains? our nervous system? our eyes? mental health? spirit? it’s so easy to get distracted and lost in all the sauce. the thick, mucky, yucky sauce. even worse, desensitized. sometimes we get so absorbed that we lose sight and clarity of what we really think and feel. is what we’re thinking really our own thoughts? is what we’re feeling really our own feelings? if we took away all the opinions of others and all the propaganda, would we still know who we are? would we remember our own truths? i wonder if things always need to get so bad for us to remember our humanity, how to be kind, how to love, how to be compassionate and respectful. it makes me sad. have we learned anything?

tree branch in frozen lake

sun projections

frozen lake

anyway, it was nice to be away from the city. i took a 2-ish week break off of instagram too. much needed.

on our first night away, just before falling asleep, we heard a pack of coyotes howling outside. after that, we also saw a fox run across an icy lake, a bunch of ducks swimming in a cold pond by a frozen river, a swan, two turkeys, and two bald eagles. feeling thankful for the welcoming songs and reminders of all their stories and medicines which i have yet to discover and learn. thank you. 🤲🏼

here are some photos i wanted to share. i've been limiting what i share on instagram because it's sus but also, it feels nice to be present, take in, and savour these memories with myself and loved ones first before sharing. unlearning the insta habit is a process.

ginko leaf pressed on book at the bookstore

very cold selfie with frozen lake in the background

hands holding ice forms made from rock molds

view of shoes, looking down at icy terrain

view of the lake while drinking a coffee

a framed view from triangular sitting hut

frozen lake on the mountain, sun in the background

earlier ceramic work by bernadettepratt.com

lizzy being a cuddle while francis draws his opa

latte break on a sunny day with a bookshelf in the background

to end this post, i just want to reflect on what kind of world i would like to live in and see. i hope that despite ALL of the things going on in each individual's inner and outer worlds, that we will:

reconnect and remember who we really are

remember the rituals and ceremonies of our lineages

remember the sacred

remember how to really listen to our mind/body/spirit

remember how to really listen to one another

respect every being we interact with while being mindful of the ripples and waves we create

remember to question everything; keep wondering/wandering

remember to be mindful of the frequencies and noises that aren't emitting harmonious waves of sound

remember we need boundaries with our devices/divises too and that they are helpful tools not weapons

remember to take the time to do the hard but necessary healing work

remember to make time for joy and play

remember to create and share our passions

remember that we are each radiating bright lights and that we make a difference and to keep on going

remember to give honour and respect to the sun, earth, air, water, fire, food, animals, and plants that nourish

remember to reciprocate and restore

remember gratitude

remember to handle our relationships with care

remember tenderness, softness

remember our deep and ancient relationship to this planet, to mama earth; remember we are earth family, every living being here is a relative

and remember to have compassion not just for others but for ourselves too ❤️

if you made it to the end of this post, thank you for being here and for your time. and if you made it to this moment of human history alive and healthy, congrats! give thanks! we're about to witness some wild shit LMFAO hold tight. but no, seriously, i'm glad you're still here. i love you xo ✨

happy one

snow angel bb

carol ann apilado

journal

Posts tagged with family

earth fam, what’s happening?