god will remember where to find you
what soothed, enlightened and moved me this Spring ~
Dear friend,
Thursday was the longest day of the year. I love that we measure the length of a day not by how many hours are in it but by how many of those hours the sun remains above the horizon. Summer nights carry a different kind of magic in their brevity and heat. Biking back home from the train on Juneteenth I pulled over partway, compelled by the sight of lightning bugs flickering over a lush, green community garden.
Even the darkness is brightened by the moon and the creatures that bear light. The universe has a way of sending us a glimmer—a mystical wink—reminding us that we are not alone, no matter how adrift or consumed we might feel in the abyss of struggle and despair. God remembers where to find us.
In a time of so much suffering, I’ve come to have a newfound reverence for mundanity; for the lack of. I see the mercy and miracle in being just “okay” — passed over (if only for a moment) as waves of chaos continue to ebb and flow all around. These last few months, I’ve written about and spent a lot of time in the new bookstore on my side of town and felt reminded of how deeply Black folks love each other through all things — both despairing and delightful. I’ve started taking swimming lessons at my local YMCA and am on a quest for a swim cap that can accommodate the constantly changing volume of my hair. I’ve marveled at flowers in full bloom, harvested dozens of ripe raspberries, biked through city streets and spent hours playing with paint, discovering new colors. The foundations of a little writing life are slowly forming with a new residency opportunity and a rural creative retreat coming up next weekend.
I’m grateful for making this switch toward reflecting on the things I’m reading, listening to and watching each season. It’s a privilege to notice the things that are shaping me and compile them into an offering for others. For paid subscribers, you’ll find my musings, links and a playlist below. More essays for everyone are coming next month! Thanks for being here with me.
