A Benediction for 2017

January 3, 2017January 3, 2017 ~ susannasays ~ 1 Comment

by susanna suchak

adapted from “A Blessing for the New Year” by Kayleen Asbo

(dedicated with gratitude to Mike Prepsky who always inspires)

As the presence of light

begins to grow with each passing day

may the fearful places in your heart

unclench their grasp on your life;

may your courage blossom and bloom.

Let this be the year that you

silence the monkey’s chatter,

pick up the drawing tool,

the pen, the paintbrush, the rasp,

and compose together with

the chorus of creativity.

Let this be the year that you

break the invisible yardstick

of impossible expectations

and learn that, just as you are,

you are enough –

and so much more.

Let this be the year that you

embrace the messy wonder

that is your life

as it is;

hold it close

and do the tango.

Let this be the year you

cherish your own humanity

be tickled by its

quirky charm.

Elope with the wonder

of your own true calling,

and invite the hungry world

to the wedding feast.

goinginwardinvite_birchbark

#bounceback

January 5, 2016 ~ susannasays

Caregivers are compassionate. It is their nature. For most humans it is their nature and very natural to care. It can be an exhausting job though. Sometimes the compassion well feels pretty dry and empty. Oftentimes, caregivers are not the first to notice the symptoms of empty well or exhaustion until they are just about at the end of the caring rope.

It feels awful. I know. I’ve been there.

But where do you turn?

I turned to counselling. I turned to prescription drugs for depression. But neither were enough.

Until I began searching and seeking for a way that was natural, had no side-effects, and was virtually free, I was flailing. I felt like I was sinking. I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the face in front of me.

Then over a year, I dug my way out. I found joy and I found the me I remembered. It was so wonderful that I wanted to share my how.

But first I had to develop the step-by-step method. That took me another year and a bit. With the help of my wise woman, academic advisor, Reinekke Lengelle I have developed my methodology into something that others have found as helpful as I did.

I call it “Wordscaping”. Over the next few weeks, I’ll explain with pictures just what it is.

I am trusting that you will find it worthwhile to try it.

It’s a good way to practice self-care even if you are not a frontline caregiver.

Talk soon!

Sunshine!

January 13, 2015 ~ susannasays

Right on cue the sun has reappeared in the Owen Sound sky. Tomorrow we gather at Heartwood Home to play, to laugh, to connect. I am sooo ready for this. Thanks to Teesha Moore and Carla Sonheim for sharing their talents which inspired me to stretch and grow my creativity…

We’ll take our glossy “junk mail” … gesso it, paint it, buff it and…

and wind up two weeks from now with this!

If you live in Grey/Bruce … we hope you’ll join us.

To see how go here

Home and Light

January 1, 2015 ~ susannasays

“Home is where the light lives.” ~ Kayce Hughlett “As I lay pondering”

I am watching snow pile up, listening to the winds gusting, feeling “tucked-in” and safe and cozy. Though “the weather outside is frightful” the snow does brighten up the view from my window. And I am so very glad to be upright and able to write and make art again after a week of feeling the weight of being one of Grey County’s statistics … we had the rather dubious honour of having the highest incidence of reported cases of influenza over the holidays. Though my case was not reported, I imagine mine was not the only unreported case.

How fitting that my word for 2015 is light … with all its myriad meanings.

I do know that I want more light, lightness and the lilt of laughter this year. Laughter as Anne Lamott explains “is carbonated holiness” which also puts it into the category of lightness for me. Light is airy and gives us just enough contrast and a range of value in our lives to make them interesting and still manageable.

I wish you all the best that 2015 can afford … knowing that there will always be enough light if we each shine in our own little corner… our place of home.