Tears as I read this. Exactly what I am experiencing on this journey. Feeling the magnificence of being alive, here, now. Leaning in to community, to presence, to joy. Thank you!
I love Maggie Rogers, I love your film shots, I love the sound clip and I love this piece. I talk to so many people who are struggling to let love and beauty in to their lives because of guilt, guilt that there is such travesty and hatred and we have the privilege to witness such beauty. 💔
"My daughter watched me gasp as that hawk flew over me; she watched my eyes well up with tears in the aftermath of that special encounter; I want her to see me be moved by the beauty we get to experience. I want her to grow up and watch her mother not just ache over the hard, but also expand in the good." Our wish and our why - it is all here as a human raising a little human.
Allow beauty to arrive in abundance and just maybe it will wash over the aches and the hards too. And this transforms into us living fully and loving fully through everything.
Your Sparks of Interest this week feel like an exhale. I forget how good it feels to be met in my desire to go analog, which is exactly what I've been doing -- Reading Daughter of the Forest and getting lost in a fairy tell that feels like living myth. Juliet's writing reminds me very much of your connection to the natural world as well.
Every read feels like you’re holding my hand. Thank you Lisa. I am so looking forward to your book. I have my fingers crossed that it becomes published right before my birthday year end because it’s going to be such a special gift. Even if it’s after it’ll always remain a gift I’m warmly anticipating. May you keep well❤️
so grateful for that <3 my book will be out in April of 2026, so still a bit of time but I hope it finds you when you might need it. Thank you for your loving words xx
I resonate with your hawk moment. I had a gasp when a wild peacock jumped up in a tree; witnessing it felt so special and sacred. And then I took dozens of videos and photos trying to grasp the wisp of the ethereal delight that was sharing space with that glorious bird. 🦚
Thank you for this Lisa. I too am trying to lessen what I ingest. My bandwidth has been getting smaller as I am in burnout from a a busy work season that just ended. This has caused my anxiety to tighten my grip on what I read (and read more articles/news/emails/etc), as a response/solution to the disconnect I feel from the world and others. However this ate up so much of my time, and led to me feeling further disconnected from those that are actually around me.
Beautifully said! I took a short walk this morning, to the edge of the property where my husband and I have been all summer. It overlooks a lake with a few small islands and mountains on the opposite side. It was so peaceful, so quiet! I took in all the beauty, including the sky and thought “Thank you!” I was thinking about how quiet it is out here when I looked at my phone and the Substack notification said Allowing the Quiet. Of course I had to read it! Thank you for helping me feel connected! 🩷🙏🏼
Yesterday morning I was in the living room with a cup of coffee, heard a commotion on the balcony several feet away, and looked over to see a big hawk on the railing. Not my usual morning company. He watched me for a short time, and then flew away. Then I remembered your hawk. Then Mary Oliver, "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it."
Your recording of gasping at the hawk made tears spring to my eyes. There's something about hearing that pure moment of awe that reminds me why I create at all. When depression clouds everything, I sometimes forget that my creative content can emerge from these small encounters with beauty, not just from processing struggle.
I've been thinking about how my mental health affects not just my creative process but what I allow myself to notice and be moved by. Sometimes my anxiety makes me feel guilty for finding beauty when others are suffering. But reading this reminds me that staying attuned to wonder isn't frivolous; it's what fuels our capacity to care for and protect what matters.
Thank you, as always, for your beautiful newsletter.
beautifully gorgeous photos. we all have to take time to appreciate our magical world. Kids grow so quickly. Sit with your soon-to-be-four-year old and enjoy the wonderment and magic!
It's so important to let beauty in. Thank you for the reminder.
so very important <3
Tears as I read this. Exactly what I am experiencing on this journey. Feeling the magnificence of being alive, here, now. Leaning in to community, to presence, to joy. Thank you!
So glad it connected with you <3
I love Maggie Rogers, I love your film shots, I love the sound clip and I love this piece. I talk to so many people who are struggling to let love and beauty in to their lives because of guilt, guilt that there is such travesty and hatred and we have the privilege to witness such beauty. 💔
yes yes yes <3
"My daughter watched me gasp as that hawk flew over me; she watched my eyes well up with tears in the aftermath of that special encounter; I want her to see me be moved by the beauty we get to experience. I want her to grow up and watch her mother not just ache over the hard, but also expand in the good." Our wish and our why - it is all here as a human raising a little human.
Allow beauty to arrive in abundance and just maybe it will wash over the aches and the hards too. And this transforms into us living fully and loving fully through everything.
Beautiful Lisa. Thank you.
Our wish and our why <3
I dmed you a while ago if you get a chance to look at it. Sending love.
Your Sparks of Interest this week feel like an exhale. I forget how good it feels to be met in my desire to go analog, which is exactly what I've been doing -- Reading Daughter of the Forest and getting lost in a fairy tell that feels like living myth. Juliet's writing reminds me very much of your connection to the natural world as well.
So grateful it met your desires -- feeling it so so much, too. Ohh I will have to add that to my list, I haven't read it; thank you for sharing <3
Every read feels like you’re holding my hand. Thank you Lisa. I am so looking forward to your book. I have my fingers crossed that it becomes published right before my birthday year end because it’s going to be such a special gift. Even if it’s after it’ll always remain a gift I’m warmly anticipating. May you keep well❤️
so grateful for that <3 my book will be out in April of 2026, so still a bit of time but I hope it finds you when you might need it. Thank you for your loving words xx
I resonate with your hawk moment. I had a gasp when a wild peacock jumped up in a tree; witnessing it felt so special and sacred. And then I took dozens of videos and photos trying to grasp the wisp of the ethereal delight that was sharing space with that glorious bird. 🦚
It's so special when those moments happen <3
Thank you for this Lisa. I too am trying to lessen what I ingest. My bandwidth has been getting smaller as I am in burnout from a a busy work season that just ended. This has caused my anxiety to tighten my grip on what I read (and read more articles/news/emails/etc), as a response/solution to the disconnect I feel from the world and others. However this ate up so much of my time, and led to me feeling further disconnected from those that are actually around me.
I so hear you on the bandwidth getting smaller -- the noise can be so loud sometimes, even when it's good noise. It's such a balance to practice. <3
Beautifully said! I took a short walk this morning, to the edge of the property where my husband and I have been all summer. It overlooks a lake with a few small islands and mountains on the opposite side. It was so peaceful, so quiet! I took in all the beauty, including the sky and thought “Thank you!” I was thinking about how quiet it is out here when I looked at my phone and the Substack notification said Allowing the Quiet. Of course I had to read it! Thank you for helping me feel connected! 🩷🙏🏼
I love that synchronicity and connection -- thank you for sharing from the lake <3
Loved listening to your gasp!
<3 <3
with you in the listening.
Thank you for saying so <3
What a fortunate recording of your awe. Beauty in the moment in so many ways.
Loved the recording, it brightened up my morning, thanks ❤
Yesterday morning I was in the living room with a cup of coffee, heard a commotion on the balcony several feet away, and looked over to see a big hawk on the railing. Not my usual morning company. He watched me for a short time, and then flew away. Then I remembered your hawk. Then Mary Oliver, "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it."
Your recording of gasping at the hawk made tears spring to my eyes. There's something about hearing that pure moment of awe that reminds me why I create at all. When depression clouds everything, I sometimes forget that my creative content can emerge from these small encounters with beauty, not just from processing struggle.
I've been thinking about how my mental health affects not just my creative process but what I allow myself to notice and be moved by. Sometimes my anxiety makes me feel guilty for finding beauty when others are suffering. But reading this reminds me that staying attuned to wonder isn't frivolous; it's what fuels our capacity to care for and protect what matters.
Thank you, as always, for your beautiful newsletter.
This is beautiful, thank you.
beautifully gorgeous photos. we all have to take time to appreciate our magical world. Kids grow so quickly. Sit with your soon-to-be-four-year old and enjoy the wonderment and magic!