126 | When Things Ask for Our Attention
Dear beautiful humans,
I sent a postcard to a friend this week, and I was surprised by the clarity of what I wrote. Because I only had five or six sentences to share, I found myself tapping into a distilled version of recent truths.
I shared that I'm enjoying summer, but can feel I'm looking forward to the fall. Perhaps there is a desire in me to have the shifts happening within be mirrored in the changing seasons outside of me.
What comes first, changes in our external life or our internal life? Or maybe they happen in tandem, like two friends walking along the beach with linked arms.
I also wrote to my friend that I've done lots of grieving and releasing lately. It has been hard, but I haven't shied away from it. Perhaps because I'm better able to hold it now, and in doing so, I find myself feeling lighter and more free. I have more hope for the future, and much more gratitude.
Things don't change, and we don't change, unless we pay attention.
I've started The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron––a 12 week book workshop to reclaim creativity––with a few friends, and this one quote has stuck to me like glitter that keeps getting everywhere.
"The reward for attention is always healing."
––Julia Cameron
There's been a lot of difficult, complex things asking for attention lately. It's horribly inconvenient. But the more I give things attention, the less they feel like a huge burden on my shoulders or a monster hiding in the shadows. It doesn't mean I don't feel the weight sometimes, but paying attention to it makes it lighter. It's like paying attention is this medicine that helps it heal.
What's been coming up in you that's asking for attention?
What thoughts have been looping asking for attention in some way?
What patterns have you noticed that are asking for attention?
There is always a reason things ask for our attention and are coming up. I think there's some part of us that knows what needs to be tended to in order to be healed, which ultimately means we will be more free and more able to fully love.
Here's to paying attention.
Here's to healing.
Sending love your way,
—Shel
P.S. My cover of Maggie Rogers song “Light On” is out!
*** MY POETRY BOOK ***
I'm in the final stages of editing my poetry book, "The Buried Stream", releasing sometime this fall/winter. If you’d like to see more behind the scenes of this process, you can join my Patreon (there is a free option as well where I share a lot).
Because you get my letters, you will get access in the coming weeks to a link to buy the Galley Proof copy.
Galley Proofs are versions publishers send out while the book is pretty much done, but hasn't gone through a final proofread (sometimes called Uncorrected Proofs). They are sent out to reviewers, etc. to generate buzz and start getting the book into people's hands. This is an advanced copy before the final version is printed, and will NEVER be printed again.
I'll be sending out more info soon, but if you want to make sure not to miss the email for the Galley Proof copy, just respond to this email!
*** NEW YOUTUBE COVER ***
I shared a new acoustic cover this week on YouTube of the Beatles' song "Blackbird". Got an idea for a cover song? No promises. ;P But send it my way!
Cover photo by Kalen Emsley via Unsplash
