My holiday spirit is slowly returning after an all-time low several years ago. I was resentful of all the obligations of the season. I was burnt out from teaching during a pandemic. I was numb. It’s taken years of intentional changes to get here. But this December, I don’t feel panicked and overwhelmed for the… Continue reading Reclaiming My Holiday Spirit
Category: Natural World
A Borrower And A Lender Be
I’m not a minimalist but I do try to use what I purchase. I don’t like to be wasteful. However, I have been known to go on a shopping spree to fill a need for a special event. It’s difficult to accept an invitation for a wedding without accepting the likelihood of buying new clothes… Continue reading A Borrower And A Lender Be
Benefit From Blue Spaces
I’ve intuitively been drawn to spending time near bodies of water. I love the sounds, the sparkle and the feeling of calm that I get from an expansive lake or a quiet stream. These “blue spaces” seem to give back and recharge me. I always thought that it was a nostalgia thing: I grew up… Continue reading Benefit From Blue Spaces
Delay Replacing Your Phone
Getting a new phone, even a hand-me-down one, should be exciting: new technology, greater capabilities, more battery power. But, I’ve found that it sends me into a tailspin of scrambling to recall passwords long-forgotten, and the struggle to transfer data and set up emails. The set-up eats up most of one day and then trickles… Continue reading Delay Replacing Your Phone
Buy Nothing
Out of control spending seems to come to a peak around the holiday season. But I’ve realized that it isn’t even the need to purchase gifts that spurs this spree. It’s the sales. The opportunity to get a good deal on something drives hoards of people to the stores and to on-line shopping for Black… Continue reading Buy Nothing
Learning The Truth and Reconciling
I’ve lived in Canada all of my adult life and worked in the education system for decades, but I wasn’t aware of the history and issues impacting Indigenous People until very recently. I am grateful for the patience of an Indigenous student teacher who began my education 7 years ago. She taught me about land… Continue reading Learning The Truth and Reconciling
Adjusting To Seasonal Changes
There’s comfort in knowing that the seasons will change in a predictable way. The daylight is shrinking but knowing that this will not last and that it’s part of a well-worn cycle brings me peace. Even when our climate and society are in chaos, the natural world will prepare for winter, just like it always… Continue reading Adjusting To Seasonal Changes
Retired, And Now What? 