The Journey – Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.

I could read these words repeatedly and keep them within forever. However, I think to pay tribute to Mary Oliver, and to be authentically awakened and aligned as she intended, I need to live into them carefully, intentionally, and whole-heartedly.

I assume a lot of people in my life wonder about this blog, the several tasks that I take on, and the wanderings of a woman in her late thirties. My randomness and ramblings are definitely many. But in my bones something tells me this is THE moment to take a lifetime of dreaming, teaching, volunteering, and writing and make it more than something I do. I think therein lies my problems of the past. It’s not what I do, but rather who I am. I am a fan of fika because it’s founded upon connection and intended to do more than be a tradition of exchange. It’s a beacon of hope and inspiration for the vulnerable, empathetic, givers, talkers, and sharers of the world. Fika is not what I do. It’s who I am.

So what’s next? In the coming days you’ll see some big changes. First up, the long awaited fika files. I had wanted it done by July 1st. True to form, it took longer than expected and I panicked into a state of self-doubt. Thankfully, after a coffee tonic or two from my favorite local cafe, I am back on the positivity train and ready to ride. Then, a reimagined purpose of podcasting. We’re going from lemonade back to what I know and love best, which is coffee. “Pour the Pot” has the same concept, but is a fresh taste and space for something good to fill up on. The September themes are heavily associated with a return to school. You know I love a good trending topic. Moreover, education is everything. More on this in a few days, but there’s set to be place for educators, parents, and students to share their experiences, challenges, and successes. There’s the never-ending book in progress “inviting ordinary,” which isn’t dead or done, but has shifted some given the state of the world. Finally, there’s a whole youtube thing I’m launching in conjunction with fika files. So all the randomness remains, but it’s celebrating every facet of who I am and hopefully helping others to do the same.

The most important thing to note is this: I have joy in the journey. I am really owning and celebrating all parts of myself in a way that’s giving me better perspective and purpose. Here’s to dreams come true and never forgetting our reasons for living and loving.