Beautiful, Nora! Thank you for sharing your deeply moving account of your experience, along with the poem by Thomas, which I haven't read in many years. I, too, have been feeling exhausted these past few days, making me wonder why. Your words have helped me find some understanding. I often think of you and Chicago, aware that the collective light of your city is an irresistible target for those in power who wish to extinguish it. We will get through this by supporting one another. Wishing peace, love, and healing to all.
I'm choosing to embrace every single joy I am aware of and letting go of my usual "get things done" drive. The world needs positive energy and encouragement of all good. Things need some adjustment, it's heartbreaking that it's being done in what is possibly the utterly worst manner. I continue to pray that the changes are as gentle as possible, and strengthen my light in ways that I would have considered "selfish" in the past, but are needed for now. Maybe tomorrow things will be different and I can help more. In the meantime, I help in ways that I can manage, and pray.
Thank you. I really needed this. I feel like I had been doing pretty well with balancing what’s going on in the world until recently. The dark deeds of ICE, the vilification of Mamdani, and now this BBB passing are really making it hard for me to feel the joy. I’ll keep trying. I need to go out in nature.
So many good reminders. Thank you. (I just listened to episode 10 of The Telepathy Tapes and it was also a good reminder of these things. Apparently the universe wants me paying attention!)
Dylan Thomas wants us ( written for his dying Father) to fight against the fading of one's life force. I once wrote to the Whitehouse, to the current administration, you suck at everything, do you know I know this, because you tried to take away my happiness but you failed. Well, I don’t walk around every minute all sunshine and sparkles, floating on a marshmallow cloud, but of course, I see and feel the cruelty and nightmares being perpetrated, and can feel the suffering and fear, as we are all one, that immigrant's fear is mine, and my life force is theirs. Yes, it is exhausting and somehow I am in a position right now to be in the position where I can rest and gather, muster up the connection to all there is, infinite love, embody this consciousness and emit love to the planet, that feels like a huge nothing burger but it is everything, I think. Holding love in the face of cruelty, choosing awareness over numbness, embodying connection when it’s easier to shut down—that’s not nothing. That’s how the world changes. Not instantly. But energetically. Subtly. In the field we all share. I'm not escaping the suffering of others; I am letting it move through me, while still anchoring myself in consciousness and refusing to dim my own light. And I’ve come to realize that’s not naive—it’s brave and I'm still alive, still aware, still choosing to emit love instead of collapse into despair, even though I do fall, more often than I’d like to admit. That’s revolutionary.
I wanted to keep this comment separate. Wow, that is an amazing coincidence—Dylan Thomas’s poem showing up exactly when I’m today, yes, really, I am writing about our trip to his writing cabin(which is a boathouse) in Wales, overlooking the estuary in the beautiful and moody southwestern corner of Wales. It feels like a beautiful, meaningful synchronicity. I was struggling a bit. Kind of depressed.
Visiting his simple, peaceful writing spot by the estuary was so evocative—standing there where he found inspiration, while I was also facing my own inner old trauma.
It’s so powerful that I’m able now to recognize that lingering pain and offer myself forgiveness for not being fully present. It’s such a gentle, brave act of self-compassion. ( finally) It feels like I’m carrying the light forward, just like Thomas’s call to not go gentle—but also allowing myself kindness as I navigate my own journey.
I was blown away, because I haven’t written about that visit since we were there in 2018, and this morning I wrote about it and BOOM, you quoting him, like how often do people quote Dylan Thomas?!
I also love that this happened in the piece I titled "Psychic Tells".
During college, in my advanced-level voice class, my teacher assigned me this poem to read as my final exam. It's been a love of mine since. At some point while writing this piece today, it started playing in my mind, just asking to be included here.
Yes! " Psychic Tells", I didn't catch that, you are so right!! And wow, how wonderful that you had that assignment, so long ago and you remember that poem! Powerful! I love you Nora!
And then wrote “How to Speak Whale”- what if we pooled our collective resources and spoke Life? Love your posts Nora. Operate from Joy is my command to the inner operating system about to go in retrograde retrospect revise- it’s our lens of perception wanting to be a lens of perfection. Mission impossible. Love you all and thanks
Ugh Nora. The collective pain is unbreakable as my heart remains heavy and laden in fear. I'm working hard to protect my own heartspace and much of that consists of remaining quiet, observing in meditation and prayer. Thanks for using your thoughts to words and enhancing a collective voice. I'm sending you love and peace ✌️
Ugh Nora. The collective pain is unbreakable as my heart remains heavy and laden in fear. I'm working hard to protect my own heartspace and much of that consists of remaining quiet, observing in meditation and prayer. Thanks for using your thoughts to words and enhancing a collective voice. I'm sending you love and peace ✌️
Hey there - it is now Thursday and I am just finding my way back here. Truth be told it is mostly because I have a good news. I've had my share of mood takeovers, as you describe, this week . . . perhaps not noticing or clearing as quickly as you've shared. In fact, my partner said yesterday that he was "not feeling safe." He said it in fun, but there was definitely some truth to it!
But today - I had a call from a supervisor with whom I've had some big challenges while in my current position. I have stuggled with feeling valued, stifled, and so on, etc. But not today . . . and honestly it has been better with her in general. Today, she asked for help on a question having just returned from a conference and knowing I had more info on the topic. I was able to answer it, and she said - "Great! I love you so much!"I wish there were a way to make that text bold here! She said - I love you so much! I just want to pause and thank the universe for this . . . thank all of you who are reading and use this as fuel to keep centering joy!
The days are getting hotter as we move into Summer. Taking the dogs for a walk is still my favorite time of day, even if afterwards my feet hurt a little bit. School for my last child is different than most children. He gets a Fall break instead of a Summer break. But, we manage to get out and about as a family during Summer as well. My most current interest is "The Buga Sphere" discovered in Columbia, South America around March 2, 2025. It's an interesting object to say the least. I'm not doing anything, writing wise, yet except to make a short essay on my observations so far. I suggest hiking boots for long walks. Oh, and perhaps two pairs of socks to keep the blister away, if that's an issue. I think you'll find the boots comfortable and sturdy at the same time. As always, I love your story. ✌️❤️🕯️and👽
Beautiful, Nora! Thank you for sharing your deeply moving account of your experience, along with the poem by Thomas, which I haven't read in many years. I, too, have been feeling exhausted these past few days, making me wonder why. Your words have helped me find some understanding. I often think of you and Chicago, aware that the collective light of your city is an irresistible target for those in power who wish to extinguish it. We will get through this by supporting one another. Wishing peace, love, and healing to all.
Thank you, Kate. Love and all the good things right back to you.
I'm choosing to embrace every single joy I am aware of and letting go of my usual "get things done" drive. The world needs positive energy and encouragement of all good. Things need some adjustment, it's heartbreaking that it's being done in what is possibly the utterly worst manner. I continue to pray that the changes are as gentle as possible, and strengthen my light in ways that I would have considered "selfish" in the past, but are needed for now. Maybe tomorrow things will be different and I can help more. In the meantime, I help in ways that I can manage, and pray.
So beautiful. Thank you, Laura.
Thank you. I really needed this. I feel like I had been doing pretty well with balancing what’s going on in the world until recently. The dark deeds of ICE, the vilification of Mamdani, and now this BBB passing are really making it hard for me to feel the joy. I’ll keep trying. I need to go out in nature.
Hugs and love. Thank you for your share, Marlene.
So many good reminders. Thank you. (I just listened to episode 10 of The Telepathy Tapes and it was also a good reminder of these things. Apparently the universe wants me paying attention!)
Thank you, Alana. Sending you my love.
Dylan Thomas wants us ( written for his dying Father) to fight against the fading of one's life force. I once wrote to the Whitehouse, to the current administration, you suck at everything, do you know I know this, because you tried to take away my happiness but you failed. Well, I don’t walk around every minute all sunshine and sparkles, floating on a marshmallow cloud, but of course, I see and feel the cruelty and nightmares being perpetrated, and can feel the suffering and fear, as we are all one, that immigrant's fear is mine, and my life force is theirs. Yes, it is exhausting and somehow I am in a position right now to be in the position where I can rest and gather, muster up the connection to all there is, infinite love, embody this consciousness and emit love to the planet, that feels like a huge nothing burger but it is everything, I think. Holding love in the face of cruelty, choosing awareness over numbness, embodying connection when it’s easier to shut down—that’s not nothing. That’s how the world changes. Not instantly. But energetically. Subtly. In the field we all share. I'm not escaping the suffering of others; I am letting it move through me, while still anchoring myself in consciousness and refusing to dim my own light. And I’ve come to realize that’s not naive—it’s brave and I'm still alive, still aware, still choosing to emit love instead of collapse into despair, even though I do fall, more often than I’d like to admit. That’s revolutionary.
Beautiful, Susan. Thank you.
I wanted to keep this comment separate. Wow, that is an amazing coincidence—Dylan Thomas’s poem showing up exactly when I’m today, yes, really, I am writing about our trip to his writing cabin(which is a boathouse) in Wales, overlooking the estuary in the beautiful and moody southwestern corner of Wales. It feels like a beautiful, meaningful synchronicity. I was struggling a bit. Kind of depressed.
Visiting his simple, peaceful writing spot by the estuary was so evocative—standing there where he found inspiration, while I was also facing my own inner old trauma.
It’s so powerful that I’m able now to recognize that lingering pain and offer myself forgiveness for not being fully present. It’s such a gentle, brave act of self-compassion. ( finally) It feels like I’m carrying the light forward, just like Thomas’s call to not go gentle—but also allowing myself kindness as I navigate my own journey.
Amazing synchronicity
I was blown away, because I haven’t written about that visit since we were there in 2018, and this morning I wrote about it and BOOM, you quoting him, like how often do people quote Dylan Thomas?!
LOL
Right???
I also love that this happened in the piece I titled "Psychic Tells".
During college, in my advanced-level voice class, my teacher assigned me this poem to read as my final exam. It's been a love of mine since. At some point while writing this piece today, it started playing in my mind, just asking to be included here.
Yes! " Psychic Tells", I didn't catch that, you are so right!! And wow, how wonderful that you had that assignment, so long ago and you remember that poem! Powerful! I love you Nora!
I love you too
Tom Mustill had this experience https://youtu.be/ee79_7CZ0uM?si=W_MmJ5tznrlasQGF
And then wrote “How to Speak Whale”- what if we pooled our collective resources and spoke Life? Love your posts Nora. Operate from Joy is my command to the inner operating system about to go in retrograde retrospect revise- it’s our lens of perception wanting to be a lens of perfection. Mission impossible. Love you all and thanks
Thank you. You said it all. Thank you July 7 up to be wise
Thank you, Lee Anne. Sending you my love.
Ugh Nora. The collective pain is unbreakable as my heart remains heavy and laden in fear. I'm working hard to protect my own heartspace and much of that consists of remaining quiet, observing in meditation and prayer. Thanks for using your thoughts to words and enhancing a collective voice. I'm sending you love and peace ✌️
Thank you, Audra. Hugs and love and peace right back
Ugh Nora. The collective pain is unbreakable as my heart remains heavy and laden in fear. I'm working hard to protect my own heartspace and much of that consists of remaining quiet, observing in meditation and prayer. Thanks for using your thoughts to words and enhancing a collective voice. I'm sending you love and peace ✌️
Hey there - it is now Thursday and I am just finding my way back here. Truth be told it is mostly because I have a good news. I've had my share of mood takeovers, as you describe, this week . . . perhaps not noticing or clearing as quickly as you've shared. In fact, my partner said yesterday that he was "not feeling safe." He said it in fun, but there was definitely some truth to it!
But today - I had a call from a supervisor with whom I've had some big challenges while in my current position. I have stuggled with feeling valued, stifled, and so on, etc. But not today . . . and honestly it has been better with her in general. Today, she asked for help on a question having just returned from a conference and knowing I had more info on the topic. I was able to answer it, and she said - "Great! I love you so much!"I wish there were a way to make that text bold here! She said - I love you so much! I just want to pause and thank the universe for this . . . thank all of you who are reading and use this as fuel to keep centering joy!
Okay - off to call my congressman again!
Wow! Amazing! I love hearing about this.
The days are getting hotter as we move into Summer. Taking the dogs for a walk is still my favorite time of day, even if afterwards my feet hurt a little bit. School for my last child is different than most children. He gets a Fall break instead of a Summer break. But, we manage to get out and about as a family during Summer as well. My most current interest is "The Buga Sphere" discovered in Columbia, South America around March 2, 2025. It's an interesting object to say the least. I'm not doing anything, writing wise, yet except to make a short essay on my observations so far. I suggest hiking boots for long walks. Oh, and perhaps two pairs of socks to keep the blister away, if that's an issue. I think you'll find the boots comfortable and sturdy at the same time. As always, I love your story. ✌️❤️🕯️and👽
Thank you, José. Sending you my love and wishes for happy feet.
I'm so sorry. Sorry for all you are going through, personally and collectively.
This is far from over, but how deal with what's coming, when you're already so fcking exhausted.
It's Argentina, Chile in the '70s, people being disappeared, killed, put in concentration camps... they always do it the same, they also end the same.
I love you.
Thank you.
I love you too.