Grief. Gratitude. Fear. Fortitude. Despair. Hope. Conflict. Community. Love. And again and again, love, love, love.

It’s difficult for me to write these days, for all of the reasons. Yet I am committed to crafting at least one post a month – for my subscribers and supporters, the greater good, and myself. One of the tools I bring to the revolution is words, and I will not shrink from them, even in times of overwhelm.

What is sustaining me during this great turning? My loved ones, nature, and the work I am part of in community, of course, and also following wise thinkers and feelers, adrienne maree brown especially as always. She and those she is in conversation with (check out her podcasts) remind me again and again to turn towards life, to imagine a world beyond the oppressive, destructive systems designed to crush life, and to be a part of building that world.

amb consistently shares insights gleaned from other visionaries, like this, “there is a consistent wisdom coming through right now. it says be hopeful with rigor. shape the future with the strength and creativity of your ancestors. do not relinquish your humanity…do let go of anything that is a barrier between you and an ally, comrade, friend, co-operative in the liberation journey.“

Each day, I practice being hopeful with rigor. Yet, like you, I still I wonder/worry: How we deter/stop a coup? How do we get more people to radically re-imagine public safety (and support the Breathe Act)? How we address/stop the immense harm being caused by social media (as explained in /the social dilemma_)? How do we restore our right relationship with the natural world? Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc…. I feel these concerns, cry, inhale, exhale, and return to action alongside loving souls shaping a future for all of us, turning towards life.

Many are grieving the recent loss of Elandria C. Williams, who I did not know, but as I learn about their incredible life and work (such as described in that beautiful tribute from the People’s Hub) I am now grieving too. Elandria truly turned towards life, and seeded liberation. With this great loss, I am grateful for their powerful legacy and the ways it can feed us. As the US Federation of Worker Coops posted, “ElandriaTaughtUs to resist, to be resilient and to be restored while also re-imagining a world beyond the oppressive systems we live in. They also recognized that the work of justice is hard and can be detrimental to our health unless we cultivate cultures of care and restoration.” Again – hope, imagination, and caring for each other.

Our relationships are where we shape the future. As amb proclaimed, it is time “let go of anything that is a barrier” between us. This is where the revolution happens. Our messy, sacred humanity is where we transform. As we interact with others, we can release judgement, let in compassion. We can find ways to cultivate patience, increase empathy. We can invest in our own healing so we can help others heal. It’s not easy, and it is essential.

Holding you in my heart as we move through these days of incredible change, may we rise to the moment and not run from it. May we turn towards life in all ways.