Marinating in the expansive multitudes of existence

How can so many things be happening simultaneously??

Hello Beloved friends

I’m writing to you from the fever dream that is Los Angeles.

I have been here for just a couple of days, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here and to receive the love of my beloved community members.

My journey here began with a 5 am drive to Atlanta, and then getting on to a plane to Chicago where I met up with an old friend. Together, we took the train from Chicago to Santa Fe.

me, blissed out on the train

In Santa Fe, I unexpectedly met the love of my life.

Santa Fe was beautiful. The land quieted my busy mind, and I found myself in an unexpected state of calm.

I say unexpected because calm is something that I often feel I have to cultivate, or at times even fight for with discipline and intention. But something about the landscape allowed my mind to rest.

I was grateful. The quiet allowed me to wrap my head around what we are living through.

I continue to find myself in shock and horror over the inhumane acts of violence that are being carried out by the Israeli government, and backed by the US government and large corporate entities.

I continue to be moved by the power of the people.

I am grateful for the many documents and technologies coming forward to support advocacy. I am a personal fan of this one that facilitates calls to representatives.

I have also found poetry exceedingly helpful in this time. I have found an array of Palestian Poets whose voices crush me, but also revive me. I have been reading poems by Maya Abu Al-Hyyat and Mahmoud Darwish.

Although not Palestinian, Khalil Gibran’s words have also been speaking to me.

While I am moved by the advocacy and awareness of others, I am also extremely sad and horrified by the violence occurring. It is horrific, and it is unnecessary.

My heart is with the Palestinian people.

May we continue to speak out against systemic and interpersonal violence and oppression and move closer to a world of peace and harmony where we are all provided with dignity, care, and the opportunity to live without fear of violence.

a mural I spotted at an elementry school in LA! Took the words right out of my heart

THANK U FOR READING. WITH LOVE + CARE <3