4 minute read

 

Note: This is an archive of an email from the October 2021 series and pre-enrollment for those on my email list who have been waiting for Foundations to open up again after a year away to grieve the loss of my beloved.

 

You made it...

And I'm so glad you are here!

This series is only for the people (like you) who raised their hand. I value your attention and hope you will find these words nourishing to you.

Together, we’re going to cover a lot of ground in the next few days.

Vulnerability is a value I want to be evidenced in how I live. It’s that place of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure (thanks Brené Brown!).

And it’s one of the reasons why I began writing again. To open up about the cavernous places I’d traveled as I grieved. To share the hurts-so-good nature of my healing. To wonder out loud how to become a community not attached to dominance. And to risk saying all of that, and more, to you.

When I met Jomo in 2007, I was a completely different person than I am today.

I was closed off...only let a handful of people in.

I was afraid. Hurting.

Jomo cracked open the defensive walls I’d put up. He modeled and invited me to live differently...among people...which is an uncertain, risky, and exposed place to be.

Many years have gone by.

I didn’t fully realize how differently I’ve been living until Jomo died.

And you all came rushing to my side.

I’ve felt your love sent from the unspoken parts of your heart to mine.

I’ve read every card, email, text.

I’ve been nourished by food and been healed by flowers and plants and candles.

All of this…………………..is love.

Tremendous, sneak-up-on-you and bowl you over kind of love.

And for those of you waiting for me to open up another cohort - which is a fancy way of gathering us so that we can become who we want to be - I have been humbled by your waiting.

So this series is for you.

It’s my love letter to those who anticipate, hope, hold on, and long to stay put with one another.

And here’s why…

Because doubt is always right behind us.

Am I right?

For me, it’s like a shadow.

“This world is so messed up!”
“I am just a tiny drop in the ocean, I can’t change the tide.”
“What if I can’t change? What if we can’t change?”
“Who am I to believe I can help anyone? I’m a mess.”

Have you ever felt any of those?

Maybe it’s just me.

But on the off chance that you just uttered “it’s not just you, Rebecca,” because you know that doubt is right behind you like it is right behind me…

We have to find a way to:

Anticipate,
Hope,
Hold on,
And stay put with one another.

I’ve been thinking about how I want us - you and me - to feel at the end of this tiny series.

What world will these words create?

And no matter how long I ponder this, the word that keeps coming up for me is that I want to create a world filled with……….belief.

Remember me telling you about all of the cards people have sent me this year?

I’ve kept every one.

They are in a bin and sometimes when the light shifts in a way that curls that shadow of doubt up and it looms overhead, I pull a few out.

Those words create a world where I'm filled with belief...

That I am enough.
That I can heal and that my healing can heal the world.
That change is on the horizon.
That I am powerful beyond measure.
And that together, we can create a world where we all belong.

So my intention for this series is this...

That just like I have my bin of cards, that you would have some words you can come back to.

For those times when the light shifts and your shadow of doubt curls up and looms overhead.

That these words create a world where you are filled with belief...

That you are enough.
That you can heal and that your healing will heal the world.
That change is the horizon.
That you are powerful beyond measure.
And that together, we can create a world where we all belong.

I’ll be back tomorrow.