Author: The Unconventional Life

I have been in love with words since a child. I love the imagery one can make with words. This is my first blog and I'm excited about exploring infinite creative possibilities.

Becoming My Authentic Self

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Inspiration, mindfulness, Spirituality, Uncategorized

It’s a Tuesday evening and I’m completing my whirlwind trip to San Antonio to discuss the importance of early childhood education with other professionals from across the country. Everyone was very energized by the topic. This is what happens when your work is your passion. You have insane amounts of energy. I was intrigued and somewhat excited, but not quite energized. I find myself questioning why and how did I end up in these work spaces? I’m questioning whether or not I want to pick up another community problem. I’ve seen three astrologers recently, and for the most part the readings were the same. I’m an insanely creative individual with a great human service work to complete. It seems this is the soul contract I agreed to. However, the neglect of self that I am forced to accept in my current work is taking a toll. I’m very often tired, I find myself fleeing to rivers for hydromancy and I can’t remember the last time I slept without thoughts of trying to solve enormous community issues waking me up. The cards said the best life is coming, so as the saints instruct you to do, I’m yet holding on.But do I want to hold on?About a month ago I stayed at Galleywinter Farm for the weekend at my first shamanic retreat. Rachael Mannwas the facilitator and I’ve been working with her for a few years. I was instantly connected to her after my first soul reading. I just knew I would be safe on my new spiritual journey with her. The purpose of the retreat was to find your soul’s highest destiny line among the many available to you. We did shamanic journeying, we danced the medicine wheel, sang Cherokee songs, made earth mandalas and I attended my first fire ceremony. I also saw my highest destiny line. It was amazing!

This is where I am energized. This is the work I don’t want to leave, but there are these annoying things called bills and obligations.Last year my organization began work around trauma. This translates to me as healing work. Shamans heal. I have been very excited to find myself in mindfulness training with teachers. I have discovered I have a talent for combining my reiki training and mindfulness practice with my mother’s gift for interior design to make calm spaces. I am currently creating these spaces for an elementary and high school and the community center where we work with low-income youth. Who knew I’d love this so much?! Definitely not me. I also began redesigning my organization’s website as our fifth year approaches. I have spent several weekends at my kitchen table heavily involved in web content and design. As I end this year, I want to ensure that next year I am my authentic self. I have really been thinking a lot about what this will look like. I know I will no longer be able to serve an entire community alone. Stress is manifesting itself in the form of sickness and must be addressed. Executive Directors have a whole team of persons in the form of a board of directors that are supposed to help grow the mission and funds of the organization. This has yet to happen for me and I feel like I’ve had the longest trek through the hottest desert. Any desire I had to save anyone or anything is about completely gone. Yet I am still the insanely creative with a need to serve.

However, direct service for empaths is very difficult.

As I look forward to 2020, I’m identifying steps I need to take to live a more authentic life. This demands that I pay attention to my natural writing talents and a few other things.

  1. Practice saying no.
  2. Take care of my health. I can’t help anyone if I’m not well.
  3. Write and write often. This includes working on my novel, journaling, blogging, poetry and more.
  4. Return all social work duties to their rightful owners by the end of the year.
  5. Take a real vacation.
  6. Make some new friends. The struggle is real in this area lol.
  7. Begin shamanic training.
  8. Return to my yoga practice.

Technically this list could go on forever as I need an intervention, but I’ll stop here. My hope for you if you’re reading this is that you’ve found your way to living an authentic, fulfilling life. If not it’s not too late. What can you do to begin to create the life you want? After all, we create our reality. Is it switching careers? Moving to a new place? There are so many choices available to become your authentic self. As always the light in me sees and honors the light in you. Namaste.

Beacons of Light

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Inspiration, Spirituality, Uncategorized

For over a year I’ve looked at the wordpress app and my journal. There has been no time to designate to either. There has only been time for work and the occasional mental note of things I’d like to do if I had time.

One such mental note was visiting lighthouses. I took a birthday trip to OBX and was delighted about visiting my first lighthouse. I have yet to identify the reason for my fascination with them. Maybe because they are guides for unchartered voyages.

Midway through 2017 I think I was searching for light. I only had to look in the mirror. Light workers illuminate everything. So much has happened in these almost two years. I am in my fourth year of running a nonprofit. The spirit guide said he was sending a new guy and to be careful with his heart. He happens to be Mexican y yo soy muy feliz. Cuidado with people whom you try to hold onto that are blocking the path to blessings that will have you standing in one spot wondering . I took a novel writing class as an investment in myself. My book is not finished, but it was such a great experience. I became an advanced reiki practitioner in November of last year. I am on my way to becoming what I sense I was sent here to be.

Con El Mexicano

I can’t bring my journey forward two years in one blog post. I’m not quite sure where I’m going, but feel changes are coming soon. Angel numbers indicate good changes so I am not anxious. I am learning to appreciate the art of being present. This happens to be very important since the Vitamin Shoppe stopped selling Zenify lol.

As I continue on my journey, I will continually look for the light to guide me. I know this will bring wonderful people and experiences into my life. I will continue my exploration of shamanism and try to be a guide to those who have lost their way in darkness.

Shamans and Water

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Inspiration, Relationships, Spirituality, Uncategorized

My heart has felt as light as a feather since Saturday. I met with my first shaman. I found her to be peculiar. She was Caucasian and wore glasses. She had sandy blonde hair gathered into a ponytail instead of jet black braids. I met with her for one quarter of an hour.

I ran my hand over stones and crystals. She told me to pick the one I needed. I relied on Spirit to guide my hand as my eyes were closed. This was an energy choice. I felt heat enter my hand and I made my selection. I opened my eyes to what appeared to be a very nice rock. “You have chosen the stone to heal a broken heart,” said Rachael. Tears began flowing down my face as I explained my heart was just too heavy since letting go of Jude. We placed the stone at heart center and she went to work.

I cried. She prayed.

You have had many lifetimes with Jude. What you see are the energies from these lifetimes. You have been parents in another lifetime. Your African ancestors are trying to help you manifest gifts of healing and vision you have. Very powerful gifts you have because you are one that can heal others simply by praying.

I felt the heat in my hands again. Its familiarity was always with me. I remembered the prophet who had long ago told me healing was in my hands. I remembered the night Jude had a stomach ache and my decision to use my hands. He felt the heat wherever I guided my hands. I focused. He questioned. We trusted in something greater as I had no answers for either of us, only intuition.

I then stood before Rachael and she said it was time for the spirit water. Spewing through a feather was the administration method. I was not prepared lol! I stayed in place trusting for I knew she had more than intuition. She could see into the spirit realm like myself.

She had the same vision of Jude I had had months before. She told me to fix the glitch in my own energy to fix the love attraction. His actions have left a trail of self doubt. In our final moments she wrote down books for me to read and asked how I felt. “Lighter, I feel lighter,” I replied.

On Sunday the water called to me so I went to her.

I sat on a rock for an hour enjoying the sounds of people and nature.

As I sat, I realized I am no longer afraid of Jude’s ancestors speaking to me in my sleep. I know now they are also mine for we have always been and will always be. I remember waking him up one evening as he slept on me at the park. “It’s like this with us,” he said to me. We fall into a dimensional home when it’s just us with no boundaries or time.

I thought I was about to connect to my Native American ancestry, but at the prompting of Rachael I will take the African path. Destiny lines are hanging in the balance waiting on me to fix energy glitches. Self doubt needs to be replaced with self love.

As always my family is freaking out lol. Rachael had asked me if I grew up evangelical and I happily replied, “Nope charismatic.” She said, “Oh well then that’s just African spiritualism.” Awesome! Who knew the apostolics were paving the trail in the woods for meeting my true self. I am hoping I didn’t promise my aunt not to contact the church I was baptized in. I knew there would be a connection as we read the founder’s bio and he had my same birthday and love of trees. Hearing my aunt pleading for me not to call accompanied with the pause after the sentences still makes me laugh. My mother just now keeps asking if I still believe in God. This also makes me laugh. She will be coming to straighten me out as soon as she retires I’ve been told lol.

May you journey well into your own authenticity and peace. May you find joy in being who you were created to be. May love and acceptance grace us all.

Thank you for reading and sharing in my journey. Namaste.

Remember Me When

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Relationships, Separation, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Yoga

I remember one day sitting on the floor tying my shoes and hearing God say, “Kathryn don’t follow Jude into darkness.”  While I wondered why I was hearing this particular instruction, I just said, “OK I won’t.”  I know why that happened.  I want to run full on into darkness right now, but I can’t because of my desire to be in God’s light.

Yesterday in yoga we were asked to set an intention.  My brain has just been scattered from thought to emotion for the last two weeks.  I’ve been asking my friends to tell me I’m not crazy.  That I just didn’t imagine the things happening for the last two years of my life.  There are just things that can’t be made up and so right now nothing makes sense to me.  I’ve written each synchronicity down in my journal so they even have dates attached to them.   I went back to the first occurrence yesterday on my mat.  The evening I went for prayer because loving Jude gave me anxiety.  I remember the couple that prayed for me and asking the lady, “You’re going to tell me to leave him right?  I should just leave cause my whole being is in panic mode.”  She said, “No read I Corinthians 13 and everything will be OK.”  God sent these people to me to prepare me for what was about to happen and to give me hope.  I knew this because time was running out and I knew Christian would go to jail soon.  The lady told me to pray and gave me the testimony of their son who had also spent time in jail.  After remembering this, I set the intention.

God my intention is to love Jude and myself unconditionally today.  My intention is to forgive myself for every time I’ve had to forgive him because I’m angry about repeating forgiveness.  I’m angry that I can’t find the bottom to the love I have for this person.  I’m disappointed in myself cause this doesn’t even make sense and the only thing I can do is to apply love to everything.  I know this because you had that woman instruct me to love like you and I never forgot your instructions.

I completed my practice yesterday in between YouTube sermons and meditations.  This is how I cope with separation. YouTube, yoga and candles.

I literally feel like an Elisha looking for an Elijah.   In my desperation I went for my second psychic visit.  The difference I have noted between prophets and physics is prophets don’t ask questions for verification.  Things like is this going on right now or do you know who this person could be.  Nope you will not get that from a prophet.  They will say the Lord says…… and that will be that.  They don’t need you to fill in the blanks.   Same cards, some of the same words equaled great frustration for me.

Perhaps I should just be Kat looking for Jesus.  He’s likely waiting for me in the woods.

My reiki session went much better.  Heart chakra was definitely out of alignment and Akilyah spent a lot of time at my crown chakra.  Our sessions begin and end with what the Haitian did to throw my energy fields out of whack most times.  She said I was very grounded and all the energy moving was in my heart and stomach area.  I whispered that my heart was broken and I was fighting anxiety.

When I got home I said, “God you have to give me something cause I’m just not making it.”  I heard Psalm 106.

Psalm 106:4-5 – Lord, remember me when you are kind to your people; help me when you save them.  Let me see the good things you do for your chosen people.  Let me be happy along with your happy nation; let me join your own people in praising you.

I’ve made some pretty big sacrifices recently that I didn’t complain about.  I did them out of love.  I ignored some instructions about timing.  Generally when I ignore the warning Jesus’s baby toe appears to step in.  This time even Jude’s ancestors stepped in.  That was quite an experience, but I figured out what they were trying to tell me.  Separate. Though my very soul feels like it might cave in, separate.  Separate while he learns to love himself, because without that he can’t love anyone.  I know the pain of his life.  I experienced it in a church service.  I saw our lives combine in a tunnel of white light as I hung over a chair sobbing.  I asked him long ago, “Do you see me?”  He smiled and nodded yes.  It takes special eyes to see me.  Two weeks ago he told me exactly what he saw and I just smiled.  I called him my beautiful mess and that he shall be for now.

I saw thread stitching my heart together in yoga class.  I saw him kneel behind me and the same thread began to stitch his heart and our separate threads became one.  We were planning our first trip to Haiti.  I have boxes of donations in my basement.  He had asked me to help him do his Father’s work.  Sometimes seeing what is supposed to be is unbearable.  As I know what he is struggling with because he drew it and his ancestors came to tell me, my hands are tied.  My eyes are tired.  My breath is sometimes shallow.  My chest aches.

Dear God please remember me when……

For Jude

by The Unconventional Life, posted in poetry, Uncategorized

I gathered your broken pieces with my own two hands.
Crimson stains covered my palm’s lifeline.
Massaged and mended your hurts until callouses formed.
I carried your burdens cloaked around my shoulders.
I carried them like blessings with grace.
Have you met the person that awakens your soul and then slowly tranquilizes you back into a coma?
You’re awake silently screaming I want to feel
While tears spill from your glassy eyes
I got down on my hands and knees and cultivated peace in a trance.
I toiled in your barren soul moving, shifting and praying
Giving while you took
My calloused palms always trying to smooth your roughness.
I took handfuls of your soil and rubbed it all over me
Wanting the bounty of the earth
Wanting to live
Wanting to wade in a shallow pond,
But nightmares caught in dream catchers are sometimes realtime experiences
Reflected in the weariness of tired eyes that dare not hope
Dare not believe again
Because the mind remembers what the heart wants to forgive
And bandaged hands need time to heal
For time heals all.

How Then Shall I Live

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Inspiration, mental health, mindfulness, Spirituality, Uncategorized

In the weekend’s closing ceremony we were told to reflect on the question how then shall I live. Our first guided meditation was around one door closing and another opening. Many of us lay on the floor crying. These complete strangers had become my monthly support group. A place where I was learning spiritual practices in a very diverse environment. I felt like I was flourishing into myself during the entire program.

The first meditation caught my attention. I sat on the porch of a craftsmen style house and looked over my shoulder at the closed door. I cried at the realization of losing my monthly group while at the same time feeling excited about the next phase of my journey.  I then saw myself standing on earth barefoot in front of a new door to open. The door I opened revealed an entire universe. As I realized I had no limits or boundaries, I thought it’s going to be ok.

I began our pilgrimage thinking about what was going on in my life. I laughed at the first message because I was thinking about my work. Somehow I will dream big.

I kept walking along the pilgrimage path with my group taking pictures to document my journey.

I learned of Tibetan prayer flags and loved seeing them blow in the breeze like whispers being sent to God.

In my final coaching session we discussed my most meaningful practices. They were meditation, conversations with nature, journaling and active imagination. My coach requested of me to write. I shared a poem and my conversation with water as my final offering. Writing is who I am so I assured her I would continue to share this gift. 

I’ve decided to pursue Native American spirituality. I need to get to know this part of myself. My family’s eyebrows raise higher and higher as do their concerns lol. They ask if I still believe in Jesus and I laugh and say of course! I realize though no one can dictate your spiritual path. You have to practice what is meaningful for yourself. The brave by the forest I saw during meditation awaits me.

I shall live in dreams and not fears. I shall live in love and forgiveness. I will not withhold the best parts of myself from others. I hope to give the gifts of laughter and faith. I shall continue with the practices that had meaning for me without regards as to their origin.

My flag had this simple prayer.

May I believe. May you believe. May we all believe. 

Simply prayed for anyone who has ever struggled with doubt and anxiety.

Namaste

Spiritual Paths Program-Conversation with Nature

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Inspiration, mindfulness, Spirituality, Uncategorized

I spent my day at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens today.  Our program finally got to the session that connected us to nature!  My senses were overloaded and my spirit was so full with today’s experiences.  I am so excited to share my conversation with nature.  As always it was epic.

Grass:

“Oh honey welcome back!  After all these years welcome!  Take your shoes off and sit for a spell.  Do you remember how you loved to feel me under your feet as a child?  You never wanted to wear shoes.  Shoes were a form of restraint, but your little mind could not know the reason for the need to discard shoes.  Do you remember the barefoot walks with me and sunshine?  You were feeling and being then weren’t you honey?  You were beginning to know your identity and then life carried you away.

We knew you’d reconnect with us so we have been waiting for your.  Waiting for you to find your spirit and voice.  Creation has been waiting for you dear one.  Listen to the song of nature.  It is all around you.  Sometimes quiet.  Sometimes loud.  You prefer quiet due to the noise of those who are around you.  Silence is not reclusive little one.  Find your place in the univers and mark it.  Listen honey we are speaking widom to you today.  Profound wisdom.

You did not lose your connection to us.  It only seemed that way.  Another illusion right?  You keep wondering what is going on.  What is this experience.  It is the traveling of your ancestors to greet you.  They are waiting to show you things to connect to us to express who you truly are.  Your mentor’s referral will be your guiding lantern down this new path.

Aren’t we just splendid honey?!  Yes you too for you are a part of us.  You belong to us.  Your spirit is seeking a deeper connection to your true self.  Authenticity!

Listen to the song of the water.  You found it as an adult.  Many trials allowed you to hear the lyrics to her song.

Water:

I flow freely.  Sometimes in many directions.  You hear freedom when you are near me.  Freedom to drop the burdens given to you as weights by others.  Others always needing you.  Flow Kathryn.  Just be and flow.  Let your hands be emptied.  Let your shoulders be light and unbridled.  Set your soul free.  Let your gentleness come as rushing power carrying the needy ones upstream.  I transform.  You transform.  Though you found me in turmoil and storms, you were cleansed.  Cleansed of human prisons containing you as you sat at my shores.  Cleansed of words spoken to confine and destroy you as you sat at my shores.  You brought your children to me and purged them of fear by baptizing them in my waves.  You gave them courage and independence.  You gave them the best parts of yourself with instructions to never let others take it away.  Hear my message in ripples.  That we, all of creation, all of the divine partner with you on your journey.  May you be well.  May you be whole.  You are loved.

Grass:

My barefoot warrior never let the darkness of others dim or extinguish your light.  You illuminate.  Even as night lingers on and you are wondering where is dawn, simply illuminate Kathryn.  The braves are waiting for you in the forest, your refuge.  Beat the rhythm of your internal drum when you find them for it is a rhythm like no other.  See ya soon honey!

 

 

 

From Him to Eternity 

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Spirituality, Uncategorized

One day I saw a black king who introduced me to my shadow

I began to catch the breeze of the Divine in an upstream dance against the current

Earth began to shift and loosen under my feet like landslides

But kisses placed me in skies amongst clouds

Cause my heart was screaming I love you as its rhythm pounded in my chest

Memories of passion so intense had me trapped in purgatory cause I didn’t want no other

Dear God let me rest here for a few lifetimes

Even if praise turns to blues 

I shall cry my tears in a melody that can be sung by angels

With notes that I left on his skin with my tongue

I’m addicted

This high has extreme lows

As shadow meets ego in a tango

Where whores struggle to be monogamous in realistic fantasies

This is life

This is the present moment

This is flip a coin and choose fight or flight

This is a high stakes poker game where everyone is in an elusive disguise

Lay those cards on the table and risk it all as he parts your seas

Pray to the gods that the mystic’s cards were right when their images said stay

Stay in the frightening place and grow roots to your new self

For he just came to teach you that self-love is love in its highest form

That gray produced by co-mingling of black and white is revelation

That awakening from dormancy is enlightment

That you are indeed cleopatra and twin flame

That you are his peace and he brings you joy

That life without love is empty and fullness is like warmth wrapped around your shoulders

Is that alright?

 

Spiritual Paths Program

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Inspiration, mindfulness, Spirituality, Uncategorized

As I entered the retreat center I was struck by natural beauty and peace. My eyes wanted to absorb everything as my senses were on overload. I escaped to take pictures on breaks.

I took my place in the circle and joined the others for a brief meditation. My personal world had been spiraling down like a crashing plane, but I fought to be present.  The opening poem resonated with my soul and it only got better from there. 

In our opening session we read our spiritual autobiographies in small groups and followed the Quaker meeting format. I loved the Quaker format! I loved my group! The connection I felt to each individual was amazing. We were like pieces to a unique puzzle. Three of us were creatives and two were lawyers. Sharing our spiritual journeys was one of the most positive experiences I’ve ever had. Our session ended by walking a labryinth with two stones. We had to let something go by placing one stone in a bowl of water at the end of the circle.

As my time to start walking approached I became overwhelmed by how much I was carrying in my heart. I began to cry because I needed to find the most important thing to release, but I had so many. I began walking and quickly realized I wanted to run. I didn’t want to feel the pain inflicted on my heart by others. The others were walking so slowly that I had no choice but to follow in the manner that they were walking. Many were crying. I tried not to see or hear them because my cries would have quickly become sobs. My heart was hurting. My breaths were irregular. With each step I envisioned hurtful words spoken over me by others falling in the forms of knives from my heart. I then envisioned the wound being stitched and completely healed. The walk didn’t take very long, but it seemed like forever. 

A couple of weeks later I met with my mentor in the program. She has studied mystics and has a connection to nature. As we sat at the table I explained visions, dreams and synchronicities regarding Jude and myself. I wanted to know how could I see all this stuff about us, but in the natural everything be crazy. She called me a mystic and instructed me to leave my relationship open-ended. I wanted a final form of punctuation, but went with her suggestion. She said Jude and I were connected spiritually. In my heart I knew this, but my experience with Haitian love is beyond exhausting. 

Our second session focused on different meditation styles; walking, chanting, body scans, etc. I suck at walking meditation lol. It was once again hard to be present due to life with a Haitian. Jesus have mercy! Our homework was to create a meditation style we could practice in between sessions. I chose to find a positive quote or scripture, set an intention and end with a loving kindness meditation. Anxiety tends to have me focus on negative thoughts so I’ve been very happy with my new practice. I have kept the intentions of love and forgiveness. Yesterday I found scriptures that really moved me.

 Someone there among you has caused sadness, not to me, but to all of you. I mean he caused sadness to all in some way. (I do not want to make it sound worse than it really is.)  The punishment that most of you gave him is enough for him.  But now you should forgive him and comfort him to keep him from having too much sadness and giving up completely.  So I beg you to show that you love him.  I wrote you to test you and to see if you obey in everything.  If you forgive someone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if I had anything to forgive—I forgave it for you, as if Christ were with me.  I did this so that Satan would not win anything from us, because we know very well what Satan’s plans are. – 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 

Sadness has been an understatement in my life recently more like despair. My heart has been broken about every 30 days for months. As we argued via text message I focused on those words and my intention. I remembered Rumi’s words that light enters through cracks. I am full of light. I chose positive over negative. I am living my truth as homework. Ironies!

In our last session I saw a Native American brave invite me to journey down a forest trail with him. He was riding a horse and I felt such amazing strength. This program is transforming me in subtle yet life altering ways. I feel my Native American heritage calling my soul to explore. I will be meeting soon with the contact my mentor gave and she agreed to take me into nature.

Most are seeking religion. I have learned that religion divides. Spirituality connects. I am so thankful for this journey and the opportunity to share what I can. 

May you be well. May you be happy. May you be in peace.

Falling Into Belief 

by The Unconventional Life, posted in Inspiration, Spirituality, Uncategorized, youth

In March last year my staff and I met with the executive team. I was given 12 months notice my job was ending. That day felt like the rescue team had finally found me. I have never had such negative work experiences as my last two jobs. I felt unshackled on this day. Last week it hit me I was almost at the 90 day mark. I began to become afraid and then I remembered.

I had gotten a license plate message a few days before my almost panic attack. Simultaneously I have been ending one job and beginning another as Executive Director of STORY. I never saw myself as a visionary before. I was always the planner. Give me your vision and I will give you the steps and supportive lighting needed to make that dream come to life. I’m good, no great at that. My comfort zone, but am I growing here? Am I challenged here? What began to happen when God made me the visionary?

I was like Gary Coleman lol. “Say what Anna? You mixed up your people! This is the introvert that likes to stay behind the scenes.”

Kathryn tell your story. 

I found myself surrounded by children. Their faces keeping me up at night. I had to find a solution for them. I had to find funding for myself, assistant and intern. Woah! I shared my concerns at a prayer meeting. My brain was not accepting this new role. I wanted to be a part of a community relations team, but I along with the Executive Director of the housing authority had just founded a new organization. The minister wrote a scripture on a piece of paper and brought it over to me. 

Philippians 4:7 – And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

She simply said, “Kathryn you were made to do this. Confess this over yourself.”

I wanted to protest, but……

And…..

And…

And…

I couldn’t. I couldn’t walk away from these kids that needed someone to be their collective voice. These are the kids that are stereotyped because they live in public housing. These are the kids that show up every day despite the odds. Our goal was to register 25. We currently have 43. I went over the limit. And then….
I told my story just like God asked me to. I had to live in transitional housing with my first son. My life completely fell apart and I was hopeless and tired. I prayed for a free place to live and it showed up. I was given a whole team to help me put my life back together. It took almost two years. I was the one all those years ago that advocated for the homeless.

My story.

We received our first grant from the Cameron Foundation. This Thursday I will receive our second grant from the John Randolph Foundation. No one knew except those very close to me how hard last year was for me personally,  but I tried to remain focused on my work. I am very humbled by the amount of support being given to me.

This month I have been really contemplating situations, habits and people in my life. I’ve always had lingering doubt. I don’t want that anymore. There are several things I don’t want anymore. Lack of belief, fear and anxiety are stumbling blocks I’m hoping to hurdle this year. 

Everything is on the line. It’s coming down to the wire. I’m staring at Goliath in the form of not enough funding. I’m shouting at the mountain to move out of my way. I’m but one person in a universe of many. My hands reach back for theirs and we go forward together.

Please join us.