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Hello friends, It’s the time of the equinox, which means the sun appears to rise and set due east and due west. Also, day and night appear to exist in equal measure. It is a time of balance. A time to pause and reflect. Time. I keep repeating that word. As I approach my sixtieth revolution around the sun—yes, I was born just past the autumnal equinox—I feel the acceleration of time. But I also notice the steadiness of life itself. In youth, time stretches, yet life itself often feels unstable. At this phase of my life, though time passes more quickly, my days have an equilibrium they did not have forty years ago. I appreciate that, especially in the midst of global upheaval and uncertainty. On one of my walks this week, I paused to snap a photo of a pale dahlia flower. It was only upon looking at the image later that I noticed some of the petals looked chewed on and ragged. The flower was still beautiful and whole enough that it made me pause, all the same. And isn’t that a metaphor for us all, no matter our age? Life can tear at us, leaving us feeling raw, ragged, or simply worn down. Yet none of that takes away our beauty, or the beauty of this moment, right now. So, this equinox season, I hope we all pause, take a breath, and remember we are beautiful, no matter how rough we may sometimes feel. Beauty, like time, persists. Best wishes — Thorn
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“Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living.” — Mary “Mother” Harris Jones Hello friends, It’s a rainy day in Portland, Oregon. Outside my window, cars shush by on slick dark streets. Autumn leaves catch the moisture from the sky as fluffy squirrels dart about, preparing for the coming cold. Last night, we made dinner, setting out a plate for the ancestors. We lit up a giant Jack O’Lantern on the porch, to beckon any spirits wandering by, ready to appease them with treats, should...
Hello friends, On a walk in the soft rain of the atmospheric river that just arrived to the Pacific Northwest, I saw two small maple trees whose leaves had already turned orange-red. Some of the maples in the neighborhood are still green, or just turning yellow, but these two were in full autumnal celebration mode. So, of course I walked across the street to get a closer look. When I looked up, I was delighted at the display. The leaves looked like ethereal dancers, turning this way and that,...
Hello friends, I was at a magical event with old friends and new last weekend, in the woods of Northern California. In some parts of space were big hearts made of slate slabs. The thing I liked about these hearts were that: Being made of slate, the hearts could support weight. Someone had taken the time and effort to carve the shapes. The hearts had clearly been nestled in the earth for years, greeting everyone who walked by. All of this was a reminder to me that a little inspiration and...