I spoke with my spiritual companion/director recently about how small and slow I sometimes feel, especially when the needs around me are so big and come so fast. On the hardest days, my judging voices want me to be different or more than I am.

She and I wondered together what truths might be hiding underneath those judgments. As we listened, I remembered the mycelium networks among the roots of trees. We admired the way they share nutrients, information, and contribution to the health of forest communities. I felt an invitation to trust my own offerings and the way they belong as part of a web of love in action.

I made this doodle drawing right after that conversation. It represented interconnected prayers, acts of service, voices for justice, gifts of creativity, and works of care of every size. It felt really wonderful to draw all these dots and lines affirming the truth that all of us can contribute exactly who we are and what we have, sharing them into an interactive, vibrant whole.

If you wish, take a moment and try your own doodle-- it just might help you calm down, feel some belonging, or practice trust. You could draw a scattering of dots on the page and connect as many of them as you can, as you remember that every bit of love grows our collective work of peace and healing.

May it be so.

Meanwhile, I’ve started some new art as an exploration and prayer-- for nonviolence and justice in Israel/Palestine, in my country, and in my own heart. A juicy sketch came through in a moment of clarity! So I've begun the making process.  Alongside grieving, yesterday I made a joyful trip to a favorite local fabric shop, Quilts ¡Olé! for supplies. Stay tuned...