How often do we find ourselves stuck in roles, expectations, or routines we didn’t consciously choose? The idea of a manifesto as a living, breathing document is powerful.
I recently created a mission statement for my little 10-acre experiment. “Reveal the beauty of God’s creation.” I wanted to remind myself of where the beauty lies (beneath all the manmade mess) and where it comes from. Makes my task easier - just pull back the curtains. Anyway - change is good. Life requires motion. I’ll be interested to see your trek n
Good morning Kristina! What a beautiful thought; to remind yourself that the beauty is there and always has been. We just need to pull back to the curtains and look. Lovely !
I've come to a peaceful place in my life. I make every effort not to judge though I might do an internal eyeroll. I've decided you be you and I'll be me. You go ahead and make your own decisions and live your life as you see fit and allow me to do the same. I guess the basic philosophy is to help when and how I can and travel through this life doing as little harm to everything and everybody as I possibly can.
The field we were looking through is 80 cropped organic acres . The house is on 10 acres surrounded by 60 cropped organic acres. Quite a bit of wild land - enough for lots of trees!
What fun to see the Fellowship Forest after all these years! And the creeks that is really a ditch! :) I can just imagine the Fellowship Forest growing! Lots of food for thought in today's TKG Sunday. Thank you!
I admit that I have trouble understanding those who cannot see change as a positive thing. To challenge oneself is essential I think and along with that is the need to challenge others but so many are not receptive and often seem to fear even the smallest idea that their world will not be the same today, tomorrow or 20 yrs from now. People speak about opening doors to education to encourage the concept of change- that "more you know" ideal. I think that is true. When the wheels start turning, when you gain the skills to start questioning you begin to understand the gains that come in letting go of fear about the unknown. You begin to see the possibility in front of you...
Your photos are absitively posilutely gorgeous! I find life has a way of sending me omens ahead of big life changes. My dreams start to feature moving. I get glimpses out of the corner of my eye of changes around me. And then ‘whoosh’ I’m being painted into a new stage.
I got a glimpse or one this morning! It disappeared under a bathroom cabinet. I got down on the floor and there, between the wall and the toe kick and the trim board was a sliver of a slot. How the little beggar found that tiny hole is amazing. I promptly stuffed it with steel wool so he'll have to find a new way in.
Interesting you say this. I've recently navigated a difficult period which apparently invited opinions of what & how I should do me and life [for the better]. On Saturday during our travels we went to a garage sale at a house which once belonged to my great-great-grandparents. Which isn't actually the point, however the newish owner is a older woman of the world, who is nothing like me but who very much knows she knows her stuff and has a confident this is me aura. That's all I'm changing... I'm will be more confidently the person who I already am and what I already do.
A very wise essay, engaging comments and a walk on your farm. Thank you Cecilia. I also enjoyed the reminder that we plant trees for the next generation. 🌳
There was an exercise a prior-friend put me onto about five years ago. A list of 100 or more values. You narrow it down. You look at your narrowed down list. You sort and filter and consider and weigh. And the goal is to end up with a handful.
I managed to get down to a dozen or so. But I feel a revisiting now, older and wiser and raw-er. Farther removed from the Expected and the Laid Out Ruts than I was then. And also understanding that the options at the start are also just that - Their options (with a capital T.)
This feels the season for burrowing into many nooks and I do believe you've scratched the lid off a nook too-long cluttered.
One person's rut...et cetera. I so much enjoyed walking about your pastures, fields & past your ever expanding Friendship Forest with you & Boo & the hopeful chickens, cows & pigs. And into your barn to visit creatures taking a break inside. It took me worlds away from my small condo & beaten-down area, where blown-over splintered trees are still piled on top of each other, awaiting chain sawyers & debris removers to get around to them. So lovely to get out of myself & tag along, surveying your picturesque dominion (or queendom) with your soft narration. Thank you for this, which has become a Sunday afternoon treat.
Wow! So much wisdom and insight found in your words! I will have to reflect on much of this. It reminded me a little bit of myself starting to write again more after recently joining Substack. I love to write and it has been so much fun to get back into that creative flow! I have thought to myself that perhaps I am still finding my voice, but then again…maybe I’ve already found it. It’s that continuing to share with courage the words that are near and dear to my heart. ❤️ I do see these articles on Substack and notes on “how to grow your audience” etc, and I don’t feel interested in that. My people who resonate with my writings will find me. Organically and serendipitously, I think 🙂 Thank you for sharing your brilliant thoughts with us!
Yes- our individuality is a strength and our ability to learn and pivot and change is like a super power. I will look up this Clifton’s Strengths Finder. Sounds fascinating!
There’s so much truth in this Cecilia.
How often do we find ourselves stuck in roles, expectations, or routines we didn’t consciously choose? The idea of a manifesto as a living, breathing document is powerful.
Happy Wednesday!
We should have a drink soon! I will DM you!
Happy almost Thursday Cecilia
I am off LinkedIn for a bit - about to head home for vacation - raincheck for January?
Sure! I also am traveling again, in a couple of weeks.
I recently created a mission statement for my little 10-acre experiment. “Reveal the beauty of God’s creation.” I wanted to remind myself of where the beauty lies (beneath all the manmade mess) and where it comes from. Makes my task easier - just pull back the curtains. Anyway - change is good. Life requires motion. I’ll be interested to see your trek n
Good morning Kristina! What a beautiful thought; to remind yourself that the beauty is there and always has been. We just need to pull back to the curtains and look. Lovely !
I've come to a peaceful place in my life. I make every effort not to judge though I might do an internal eyeroll. I've decided you be you and I'll be me. You go ahead and make your own decisions and live your life as you see fit and allow me to do the same. I guess the basic philosophy is to help when and how I can and travel through this life doing as little harm to everything and everybody as I possibly can.
“Do as little harm as possible” - words to live by. Well said, Sherry.
I enjoyed the walkabout, it looks bigger than I imagined. How many acres do you have, Cecilia?
The field we were looking through is 80 cropped organic acres . The house is on 10 acres surrounded by 60 cropped organic acres. Quite a bit of wild land - enough for lots of trees!
What fun to see the Fellowship Forest after all these years! And the creeks that is really a ditch! :) I can just imagine the Fellowship Forest growing! Lots of food for thought in today's TKG Sunday. Thank you!
I need to get out and plant the last of this years trees before the ground freezes!
I admit that I have trouble understanding those who cannot see change as a positive thing. To challenge oneself is essential I think and along with that is the need to challenge others but so many are not receptive and often seem to fear even the smallest idea that their world will not be the same today, tomorrow or 20 yrs from now. People speak about opening doors to education to encourage the concept of change- that "more you know" ideal. I think that is true. When the wheels start turning, when you gain the skills to start questioning you begin to understand the gains that come in letting go of fear about the unknown. You begin to see the possibility in front of you...
Yes! The possibilities! We have so much yet to do - and learn.
Your photos are absitively posilutely gorgeous! I find life has a way of sending me omens ahead of big life changes. My dreams start to feature moving. I get glimpses out of the corner of my eye of changes around me. And then ‘whoosh’ I’m being painted into a new stage.
Posilutely! I love that word!! I got a glimpse out the corner of my eye this afternoon and it was a mouse! In the house!
I got a glimpse or one this morning! It disappeared under a bathroom cabinet. I got down on the floor and there, between the wall and the toe kick and the trim board was a sliver of a slot. How the little beggar found that tiny hole is amazing. I promptly stuffed it with steel wool so he'll have to find a new way in.
Interesting you say this. I've recently navigated a difficult period which apparently invited opinions of what & how I should do me and life [for the better]. On Saturday during our travels we went to a garage sale at a house which once belonged to my great-great-grandparents. Which isn't actually the point, however the newish owner is a older woman of the world, who is nothing like me but who very much knows she knows her stuff and has a confident this is me aura. That's all I'm changing... I'm will be more confidently the person who I already am and what I already do.
Showing that confidence is hard! But we should definitely be the person we know to be. And be proud of how far we have come!
A very wise essay, engaging comments and a walk on your farm. Thank you Cecilia. I also enjoyed the reminder that we plant trees for the next generation. 🌳
Evening Leslie! I have a saying : the best day to plant a tree is yesterday. Have a gorgeous evening! Wonderful to see you here!
There was an exercise a prior-friend put me onto about five years ago. A list of 100 or more values. You narrow it down. You look at your narrowed down list. You sort and filter and consider and weigh. And the goal is to end up with a handful.
I managed to get down to a dozen or so. But I feel a revisiting now, older and wiser and raw-er. Farther removed from the Expected and the Laid Out Ruts than I was then. And also understanding that the options at the start are also just that - Their options (with a capital T.)
This feels the season for burrowing into many nooks and I do believe you've scratched the lid off a nook too-long cluttered.
It bears thinking about right? I get antsy when i feel I have been boxed in. Even if I do it to myself!
This is great. I love how you stick to your brand and also expand it!
Brands and niches are traps I think - I am always knocking walls out.
One person's rut...et cetera. I so much enjoyed walking about your pastures, fields & past your ever expanding Friendship Forest with you & Boo & the hopeful chickens, cows & pigs. And into your barn to visit creatures taking a break inside. It took me worlds away from my small condo & beaten-down area, where blown-over splintered trees are still piled on top of each other, awaiting chain sawyers & debris removers to get around to them. So lovely to get out of myself & tag along, surveying your picturesque dominion (or queendom) with your soft narration. Thank you for this, which has become a Sunday afternoon treat.
The debris is lingering. I bet that gets a bit depressing sometimes. Hopefully the sawyers and removers come along soon!
Wow! So much wisdom and insight found in your words! I will have to reflect on much of this. It reminded me a little bit of myself starting to write again more after recently joining Substack. I love to write and it has been so much fun to get back into that creative flow! I have thought to myself that perhaps I am still finding my voice, but then again…maybe I’ve already found it. It’s that continuing to share with courage the words that are near and dear to my heart. ❤️ I do see these articles on Substack and notes on “how to grow your audience” etc, and I don’t feel interested in that. My people who resonate with my writings will find me. Organically and serendipitously, I think 🙂 Thank you for sharing your brilliant thoughts with us!
Hey Laura! The pumpkins are fed to the cows the pigs and the chickens AND me! They are great feed for the animals.
Yes- our individuality is a strength and our ability to learn and pivot and change is like a super power. I will look up this Clifton’s Strengths Finder. Sounds fascinating!