Tidbits: Authentic, precious, and vulnerable
Lil thoughts for the Finding Out community
Are you all hanging in there? My Minnesota friends, do you have the support you need, and are you giving it when you can? If there’s something Finding Out can help spread the word about, reply to this email with it by Tuesday the 10th. I’m going send a list to everyone, compiling what you’ve sent me as well as actions I’ve found. We haven’t seen this level of public violence toward our government’s people—from our government—in our time, and it’s scary and motivating. Community gets us through.
Authentic
A drawing to consider
Here’s a peak of the zine I’m working on! I’ve written about people pleasing here before, and it’s important to me to share about it.
The zine focuses on people pleasing’s effects on personal relationships. I find those effects especially relevant today, both because we need authentic relationships to support one another and because it’s really hard to speak (and act) truth to power when you’ve got an ingrained worry about how people think about you.
Precious
A lil’ quotation to read
You may have encountered this Mary Oliver quotation, perhaps on an Instagram slide or two:
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” —Mary Oliver
Out of context, it’s definitely beautiful and inspiring. It reminds that we have one life, and that we get to choose what to do with it. But in context, I find it even more beautiful. A friend told me about it the other day, and shared the original poem with me, as I do with you now.
Oliver tells us about a summer day she spent in the fields, “idle and blessed.” She asks, “Tell me, what else should I have done?”
I hope you’ll take a moment to read “A Summer Day” in its entirety.
Read it aloud! To yourself or a buddy. Poetry is meant to be heard. Oliver’s words read like someone talking to you, so even poetry-avoidant folks, I hope you’ll give it a try. Her poem is a reminder to slow down, to notice, and to rejoice.
Vulnerable
Something to carry with you
I joined a new choir! It’s with a university, and it’s big, 100 people. 70 are undergrads, and the rest (including me) are community members, grad students, or staff. This week was a sectional week, and the director turned control over to the section leaders, who are undergrads.
It was so special to me to see our section leader in action. They were kind, just like our director. They guided us. They were vulnerable, saying, “I know I had trouble with this part, so lets try it again.” When someone asked a question they couldn’t answer, they told us that was a good question for the director.
Seeing—and being part of—this respect and care that everyone gave was a joy. It reminds me that, on the whole, people are good.
Last month’s essay
In case you missed it!
Mentioned in this issue: “A Summer Day” by Mary Oliver.