Reordering My Heart: December Reflections

Something I’ve increasingly noticed over the past few years is a calling to turn inward come December.

As the sun rises a little later and the ocean crashes with more ferocity at night, I feel a soulful need to take inventory, reflect, and close things out as the end of the year draws near, as if I’m clearing space from my inner worktable of psyche and soul.

Sometimes, I make lists in my journal, going month by month or grouping things by quarter and writing down the major themes, occurrences, and lessons. It’s my way of putting a mile marker on my journal page and acknowledging, “I was here..”

Grace, Growth and Gratitude: lessons on the journey

It’s a cooler day on the island and I’ve found myself in a varied place as we step through November.

Busy with responsibilities, in a way that feels productive and kind. Thoughtful with reflection, as I begin to do what I always do around this time each year –

Slowly take stock of what the past eleven months have brought and contemplate the changes rendered as we begin the initial stages of descent drawing us closer to the conclusion of another calendar year.

Truth be told, I haven’t always liked the lessons the past couple of years have brought, but I am trying to embrace and integrate them, so I can move forward with the wisdom learned…

Finding Home: journeying back to ourselves

There is something about this time of year that always tugs at my soul.

When I left Alaska back in 2016 I knew that mid-August into September would always make my heart ache for my first home.

There’s something that’s a mix of magic and poignancy about the way the tundra begins to turn cranberry and the leaves go from verdant green to an olive that foreshadows the yellow to gold to bronze soon to come…