We Shine for Each Other
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Hello Friends, The day before the big US election, I went for a walk as usual. A flash caught my eye. It was a quartz crystal, resting on the sidewalk, autumn sun shining through it. The crystal cast a shadow that looked like a stretched out crescent moon. It was beautiful. After snapping a photo, I thanked the crystal—yes, I’m more than a bit of an animist—and settled it against a bit of moss, figuring it would be safer there. I keep thinking about that crystal. I keep thinking about how it reflected and refracted light. I keep thinking that the reason I saw it was that it was out in the open, on the sidewalk, shining in the sun. I keep thinking about that shadow. How often are we like that crystal, out there in the open, doing our best to shine like beacons for each other? What shadows do we cast? And when do we need someone to say, “Hey, you shining entity, how about resting for a while on this nice piece of moss?” Creative people need both sun and shadow to do what we do. We need to be out in the open some of the time, and tucked away safely in others. And, as I believe that all humans are creative, that means all of us need some measure of the above. How are you coping this week? Are you shining? Are you in the shadows? Are you getting any rest? The world can feel scary, but no matter what happens, I’m glad you are in it. And if it helps, I wrote a long essay about Mutual Aid and how we can show up for each other—especially the most vulnerable among us—right now and always. It’s up on my Patreon, and I’ve made the post public so it can be shared. Keep shining. Best wishes — Thorn If you need an escape and haven't yet read my Seashell Cove bonkers cozy mystery series, Bookshop Witch is still free on most retailers through the end of the year!
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T. Thorn Coyle
Hello friends, The world is often filled with noise. What helps you listen? It took me many years to learn to listen deeply, instead of trying to anticipate. Trying to anticipate was my child-self’s way of keeping safe. Not that it always helped. Not when violent outbursts were random. But I tried anyway, baking that pattern into my body and mind. Eventually, I realized I wasn’t giving others a chance to really express themselves. I didn’t give myself a chance to express myself on a deeper...
Hello friends, This week, I am at the Between the Worlds/Sacred Space joint conference, gathered with hundreds of people who believe that magic is possible in a troubled world. It’s an important reminder, especially when so many of us feel stuck just providing for our basic needs, or the needs of our families. It is also an important reminder for those of us engaged in community service, protection, and care. Magic helps me pay attention to what is important to me. It helps me manifest what I...
Hello friends, I’ve been angry since childhood. Therefore, I think a lot about love. Seem strange? Like a contradiction? Not so much. My anger has always been rooted in a sense of injustice, on scales both minuscule and large. And that sense of injustice comes from love. When we create from love, we change. When we fight injustice because we love, we change. We change ourselves and each other, and over time, we change the course of things. This morning, a friend sent a bell hooks quote, from...