Image Description: A map of the United States. The Upper Midwest is highlighted in red. Public domain image.
I’ve been walking for 20 days now throughout my county on what I’ve been calling my Pilgrimage in Place.
Three times I’ve worn a particular dress, and every single time I’ve worn it, this has happened:
As I pass by, someone says,
“I really like your dress!”
And I reply,
“Thanks! And I got it for $17!”
Then they reply with, “Well done!” “That’s awesome!” or “Oh my gosh, love that!” One person even raised the roof.
Why do Midwesterners like to celebrate bargains they got on clothes? Why is this a thing? Why do I always say this? Am I deflecting a compliment? Do I know that they will celebrate this? Clearly, I do know it because I expect this every time.
Image Description:A book is on top of a brown, curved table at an angle. Its title is “Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds” by adrienne maree brown.
Today, I’d like to share two quotes from adrienne maree brown’s book, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds:
1) “Remember you are water. Of course you leave salt trails. Of course you are crying. Flow. P.S. If there happens to be a multitude of griefs upon you, individual and collective, or fast and slow, or small and large, add equal parts of these considerations: that the broken heart can cover more territory. that perhaps love can only be as large as grief demands. that grief is the growing up of the heart that bursts boundaries like an old skin or a finished life. that grief is gratitude. that water seeks scale, that even your tears seek the recognition of community. that the heart is a front line and the fight is to feel in a world of distraction. that death might be the only freedom. that your grief is a worthwhile use of your time. that your body will feel only as much as it is able to. that the ones you grieve may be grieving you. that the sacred comes from the limitations. that you are excellent at loving.”
2) “Do you already know that your existence–who and how you are–is in and of itself a contribution to the people and place around you? Not after or because you do some particular thing, but simply the miracle of your life. And that the people around you, and the place(s), have contributions as well? Do you understand that your quality of life and your survival are tied to how authentic and generous the connections are between you and the people and place you live with and in?
“Are you actively practicing generosity and vulnerability in order to make the connections between you and others clear, open, available, durable? Generosity here means giving of what you have without strings or expectations attached. Vulnerability means showing your needs.”
If we’re feeling anxiety, let’s feel those feelings. And let’s invite others to show up with and for us.
If we’re feeling grief, let’s feel those feelings. And let’s invite others to show up with and for us.
If we’re feeling hope, let’s feel those feelings. And let’s invite others to show up with and for us.
If we’re feeling love, let’s feel those feelings. And let’s invite others to show up with and for us.
And let’s keep showing up with and for others too.
Image Description: Chalk drawing of a pink heart, surrounded by colors of green, yellow, and purple. Public domain.
I love this quote from author Linda Hogan:
“Suddenly, all my ancestors are behind me. ‘Be still,’ they say. ‘Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.’”
It’s astounding that any of us are here as the precise people we are. We are the result of the love of thousands…. We can think about all the people who most closely share our DNA. We would not exist in the way we do had innumerable lives not included stories with very specific details, leading them to the lives of one another.
But, of course, well beyond DNA, we are shaped by thousands of people whose stories, life outcomes, and forms of wisdom have shaped the course of our own lives. We are also shaped by whole communities of people over time.
“Suddenly, all my ancestors are behind me. ‘Be still,’ they say. ‘Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.’”
I found this quote in a meme that was passed around quite a bit on social media a few years ago. If it was printed somewhere too, and you know where, let me know.
As we approach Election Day, the best thing I know to do is be present. I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself with hopes or anxieties, though it’s absolute natural to feel contact with both. Instead, I’m going to try to be present to whatever need, feeling, or hope emerges. One thing at a time… We’re not likely to know election results fully tonight, though we’ll see.
Here’s a question I’ve been asking myself, and I’ll offer it here if it’s helpful:
What values are you committed to living, no matter the result?
Yesterday, I had the occasion to lead readings, reflections, and prayers in a virtual once-an-hour vigil with interfaith colleagues. I’ll share my video here if it’s helpful.
This format didn’t have captions, so if you’d like a transcript, feel free to email me at revannarbor@gmail.com.
Image Description: Three light brown stones stacked on top on of one another. They’re placed on sand, and there are concentric circles in the sand, like a ripple effect.
“We teach who we are.”
This is something that a mentor’s mentor used to say. She may have meant a variety of things by that statement, but she certainly meant that we end up teaching, extending, and tending to others in ways that reflect the most deeply held lessons from our own experiences, the kinds that rest (at times, after a struggle) at the core of our being.
“We teach who we are.”
It reminds me again that the word ‘heal’ is both active and passive at the same time. We heal in receptive ways. Healing is something that we receive, even as we work to create the conditions that make it possible.
And when we receive and integrate healing into our own lives (and this is always a process rather than an arrival) we also begin to heal — that is, participate actively in healing of others.
“We teach who we are.”
We’ve all received; when people welcome us through their own agency, we can extend our healing and learning toward others.
Image Description: Three, pink flowers connected to a vine, and they look like they’re in the shape of hearts. A blue sky is in the background. Public domain image.
While writing, I went to an online thesaurus to look up alternatives for the word ‘connection.’ It’s not that I didn’t want to use that word; it’s that I had used it twice in the same sentence. What could I say instead?
I expected to find synonyms that would denote how items, moments, or people are more generally associated, but instead, I found all of these personal, relational terms:
These are words I think about a lot, and for some reason, I was surprised that the synonyms for ‘connection’ took on such personal forms. It was a reminder that our connections with each other, even the more general ones, matter quite a bit. We never know how deep they might run, or how we might connect people in ways that lead to their own relationships over time.
Image Description: 3 Jack O’Lanterns. Public domain image.
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I checked the COVID numbers at the New York Times and saw that on Wednesday, October 28, there were 81,457 new COVID cases reported in the United States.
I made a Facebook post with the following statement: “81,457 new cases yesterday.”
Then after pushing ‘post,’ I immediately edited it. “81,457 newly diagnosed people yesterday.”
It’s always people, families, and communities.
Then on Thursday, we hit another record. “Approximately 86,000 newly diagnosed people.”
Image Description: The Huron River with trees of many colors reflected in the water. Photo, Renee Roederer.
If you’ve been following my blog for the last few weeks, you’ll know that I’ve been on a personal trek. Bit by bit, I’ve been walking the Border to Border Trail, otherwise known as the B2B in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The whole journey is 70 miles long. Yesterday, after 14 days of walking a portion each day, I hit a milestone and finished the longest segment which runs from Ypsilanti through Ann Arbor. Now I’m going to start walking to Dexter, and then I’ll finish the last portion.
I’ve been thinking about how some people travel to Spain or France to walk a pilgrimage, perhaps most famously El Camino de Santiago. But this gem is right here where I live. I’ve seen beautiful sites, discovered segments previously unknown to me, and taken some of the most wonderful photography. I’ve enjoyed sharing the images.
This is my pilgrimage in place. I am paying attention to the scenery around me and to my internal landscape of feelings, hopes, and daydreams.
This has been a lovely experience. Plants… bridges… scenes of colorful leaves…
Image Description: Two unicorn slippers in all their glory. They are white with hot pink hair, golden wings, and golden horns. I’m wearing them and standing on my hard wood floor.
I was in a planning meeting, and we were gathered together on Zoom (because, of course). As a team, we’re pretty casual with each other, because we’re friends as much as we’re leaders.
Because we’re leaders, we were planning details for a big event on Zoom (because, of course). And in the midst of the meeting, someone swiveled their chair around and moved their laptop. That’s when we saw a teddy bear on a couch in the corner of their room. “Oh, that’s [Bear’s Name — forgive me, I forgot this being’s name].”
Right then, in a moment of great professionalism, I stood up and said, “I’m wearing unicorn slippers!” and showed them off to everyone. I was dressed up for the meeting, except for my mythical footwear, purposefully out of view on Zoom (because, of course). Then suddenly, every single person spontaneously retrieved a stuffed animal nearby them in their respective houses, and we showed them all off.
I’m nearly 40, and I was one of the youngest people in the room.
Smuggling Grace 