by Nisargo Troy In the recent months I have been getting this message repeatedly. To slow down, pay attention to the essential things in life. To stop running. To rest. I work part time at our lovely, local library. There, the right books keep showing up for me. In the most fantastic of ways. Someone had a book shipped from a different library and I get to handle it first. A return in our book drop catches my eye. I always have way more books at home than I can read. Recently a book literally jumped off the shelf toward me: Rest is Resistance, A Manifesto, by Tricia Hersey. I am fascinated by the concept of the “Nap Ministry” this author created, which encourages people to start napping, resting the eye, like her grandmother taught her, to slow down in order to step out of the race, we, in our society, are so caught up in. Then a friend send me this quote by Bayo Akomolafe: “So, everywhere I was invited to speak, I offered an invitation to ‘slow down’, which seems like the wrong thing to do when there’s fire on the mountain. But here’s the point: in ‘hurrying up’ all the time, we often lose sight of the abundance of resources that might help us meet today’s most challenging crises. We rush through into the same patterns we are used to. Of course, there isn’t a single way to respond to crisis; there is no universally correct way. However, the call to slow down works to bring us face to face with the invisible, the hidden, the unremarked, the yet-to-be-resolved. Sometimes, what is the appropriate thing to do is not the effective thing to do.” Ha, I thought. There it is again. The encouragement to slow down, rather than speed up. Especially right now. Slowing down helps me see better. I take notice of my surroundings and get to marvel at the beauty around me as well as really sit with the hard stuff. I remember to breathe. And involuntarily I arrive in a place of appreciation. So, I went and asked members of Heartwood to send me short quotes on what they appreciate about living at Heartwood. The results show the myriad ways to see our community and its beauty. Enjoy! Nisargo ![]() I feel grateful for our beautiful, winding trails in Ponderosa forest, open meadows, sage fields, and rocky piñon/juniper heights. I have been riding horses, biking, and cross-country skiing on them for twenty-five years and I love them more every day, although now I am mainly walking. I feel happy that I helped build or improve some of them, led by Mac the trail man. I love that so many animals use them too, judging by the deer, raccoon, turkey, and jack rabbit tracks, and occasionally, paw prints of predators. - Gay ![]() I am grateful for the experience of love and wellbeing right where I am in Heartwood. I look out my window, there’s a neighbor, go out the door there’s another neighbor, get within arms reach, and there’s a hug from my neighbor. I am grateful for our humanity and the mess of being human, which I find endlessly fascinating as we learn to be more loving and gentle with each other. - Tom ![]() I am grateful for the children yelling " Hi Mari" as I walk past, for the smiling faces & holding hands in gratitude before the Common Meal, for the small talk and laughter in the Common House kitchen while preparing a meal to share, for the camaraderie on Work Share Saturday, and going to the greenhouse for a tomato and a few leaves of chard! For the caring and sharing of hearts in the Wisdom Circle, the incredible beauty surrounding us here, & all this clean air to breathe & all these amazing people as neighbors becoming my friends. - Mari Praying
It doesn’t have to be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together and don’t try to make them elaborate, this isn’t a contest but the doorway into thanks, and a silence in which another voice may speak. - Mary Oliver Comments are closed.
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The Heartwood Happenings newsletter offers glimpses into everyday life here at Heartwood. To have Heartwood newsletters delivered right to your inbox, click on the GET IN TOUCH button at the bottom of this page. Archives
January 2025
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