Ring the bells that still can ring
Hello friends,
Happy Solstice. I’m officially ready to slow it way down - and I don’t even move that fast to begin with. But first, thank you. What a privilege it is to have a group of readers who open, read, and sometimes respond to these weekly notes. Writing this newsletter has been one of the best parts of the year - and I only started it in September! I hope you’ll keep reading and sharing the words when you feel so moved.
I’m elbow-deep in cookie dough and parmesan broth, so I want to share just a few things before I leave you with best wishes for a relaxed holiday filled with as many moments of cheer and stillness as you can muster.
Image by Henrik Donnestad
Winter Trees
by William Carlos Williams
All the complicated details
of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!
A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.
Thus having prepared their buds
against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.
To listen, to really listen, “demands wiping the slate of your mind clean.” I want to do this more effectively with my boys, my friends, my spouse.
Speaking of listening, friends recently turned me on to Ear Hustle, a podcast about life in prison. I feel fortunate to be able to listen to these remarkable voices and stories.
Lowering the bar, feeling the feelings, and other ways we manage holiday expectations on Made Fresh.
In the spirit of giving: Donate toward a Christmas gift for a child at the border. Or help end the incarceration of women and girls. Donate to end hunger in the US.
I’ll be back January 10th. Until then, may your days be merry and bright,
XO
Leigh