time…to give and take

“Time is our most precious treasure because it is limited. We can produce more wealth, but we cannot produce more time. When we give someone our time, we actually give a portion of our life that we will never take back. Our time is our life…..”

– Alexander the Great

This month, I have spent my time practicing the act of feeling more and thinking less. I have been observing others, absorbing and embracing their viewpoints, feelings, comfort levels, communication, and engagement patterns.

During this time I have learned to float on the surface of my own reality, becoming translucent and almost invisible while sinking into the skin of another. It has been a lot more difficult than I anticipated. Taming my own voice, questions and ambitions takes concentration. Its felt like a new form of meditation. (One in which you can’t close your eyes in a dark room keeping out external distractions) It like learning how to meditate with others. But isn’t that what being in relationships is all about?

To focus my efforts in this process, my wild cards Aliza and Lee asked me to specifically hone in on a singular trait from the individuals I have been engaging with. Is there one thing that is standing out about these people? Is there one thing that they have that I would like to embrace myself? What a difficult task to sift through and choose only one trait from the complicated and intricate personalities that I have had the pleasure of perceiving through this experiment.

The people who I have spent time with (whether they have been the few friends from Maryland that I’m living with or the new islanders I’m meeting for the first time) have been such gifts. The have taught me new ways of breathing, living, eating, moving etc. Instead of choosing individual traits from each person that I would love to embody, I chose a shared trait that almost everyone I have interacted with has possessed. Generosity.

Generosity is defined as the habit of giving without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets or talents to another in need. Everyone I have spent time with here has possessed this trait in some form. Each individual holds this great desire to give and share their knowledge and expertise. Whether it is about island history and culture or music, cooking, and gardening. In my time listening, watching, and observing my fellow island mates – I have been given stories, treasures, creative inspiration, intellect, laughter, food, and physical adventure. Each person has shared openly and I am finding that people are most happy when they are offered the place and space to do so.

It’s as if the act of sharing itself is the most important act that can be performed in our lifetimes. We utilize it as a way of passing on a how we understand or experience the world and in turn, sharing helps validate our own existence, learning process, success, or struggle.

Aliza and Lee in their wildcard post asked me to consider how I would adopt my chosen trait into my own personality. How could I adopt generosity? How could I put myself forth and give? Could I or share or teach my own experience? Looking back at my chapter writer’s initial requests, I realized that Max also asked of me to consider what I could do to for the people I am engaging with. He asked me to give back. In an effort to honor both requests, I spent this past week thinking directly about this task. How could I become more generous? I have struggled with this for years.

What are the skills and knowledge that I can share in return? Do I have something I can give, swap or trade for all the hospitality and generosity I receive? I have never been good at buying gifts for people. I never felt like a purchased object fit my affection or intention in wanting to share or give to another. I always resorted to making objects, cards or experiences for people instead. In my professional life I have spent my time creating spaces for others to share their music, art, words, stories, and ideas by organizing workshops, teaching creative expression and convening dialogue events. The more I think about it, it really seems to be the best way that I am able to give back. Why not continue to create those spaces and places but on a more personal level?

I’ve decided to focus on doing this with others and it is quite simple really. I find that I can at all times give my good intentions and time to another person if I choose to. This is easily overlooked when entering a new relationship or coming to a new place. We often look at the new experience and ask “What can be gained?” from this place or person, not “What can we learn or give?”.

Can we spend more time learning from and giving to others, while at the same time realizing that receiving what they have to offer is an essential part of a shared connection?

Everyone desires, wants, and needs, different things that we can never fulfill or give entirely. The one thing that is always desired though is that space and time to share themselves. This can be given by anyone at anytime effortlessly. Even if I do not agree or fully understand, I can make an effort to try to. I can set the intention of allowing another to teach me and then learn how to receive what the other is wanting me to see, feel, or experience.

Offering another the time to be themselves and share what it is that they want to give helps to validate their experience. It creates a space in which they are accepted fully with support and without judgment. Isn’t that the ultimate form of generosity? I thank Max, Aliza, and Lee for helping me to recognize and strive for that this month.

2/25/14

Just finding this blog today? Read the prologue for more details on what Living Chapters is all about. Check out the Chapter Summaries Page to get caught up to date.

writer reflection: February

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Beth!

Hello, hello. You’ve heard from me in private, but let me speak up out here, so all can know how floored I am with your progress and discovery in this month!

I wrote to you this morning about reading your accounts of the water – I said I had found my own self short of breath.

I wrote:

Isn’t that what it’s like, though? Learning another person IS like not breathing – not breathing the usual breath of our own personality. I never thought of it that way but wow, and yeah, you’re right.

…

Well, Beth, what can we do? How can we hold onto ourselves and do this, or how can we learn to know we’ll stay alive even if we change our way breathing for a while?

I’ve been trying to put into play the exercise I set you, and I can’t say I’m going nearly as far! But for anybody’s information, I’ve been having two reactions when I try to “Be” the person I’m with – one is that I just get really quiet and resist nothing that they are saying or want to do, and the other is that I feel very warmly for them and just want to give them a hug. Both experiences have been pleasant.

That’s all from me. Take care folks!

February Wild Cards

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Hi Beth!

Here is my wild card for the Interpersonal Relationships theme for this month:

You are already focusing on “becoming” the person with whom you are engaging. The wild card for this month is to focus on a specific character trait held by the person you are engaging with. Name at least three traits (they can be from the same person or from different people). Think about the following questions per trait:

– Name the specific trait that jumps out at you

– Is this a trait that reflects your own character? Or is it a trait you wish you had?

– What is meaningful to you about this trait?

– If it is a trait you wish you had, what actions will you take to foster this trait for yourself?

– If it is a trait you already have, how does this trait affect your interactions with the world around you, including your relationships?

Write at least one blog post naming these character traits and discussing the questions above.

I hope you find this wild card helpful on the Journey of Beth Barbush!

Love,

aliza

becoming invisible…breathing under water

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snorkel portrait by: Grace Lichtner

The more I test out the waters of this month’s mission, the more I realize that I am still just skimming the surface. There is so much to learn under each layer of this task. I am taking my time though allowing myself to sink in, trying on new skins and breathing in unfamiliar patterns. I am finding it both uncomfortable yet sometimes surprisingly helpful and illuminating.

I have been practicing the suspension of my own beliefs and understanding of the world. I’m letting go of what I know to be true for a moment and learning about other people’s truths, hopes, fears and dreams. Experiencing these vantage points, or perspectives has proved to be a worthwhile adventure.

It’s hard to explain the exact different ideas and revelations that I am having with this experience without talking about the specific people who I am spending time with and interacting with. However I feel that its important to refrain from revealing any personal information about anyone else other than myself on this blog, so I will try to describe in a physical sense what it feels like to practice diving into to someone else’s territory.

As I said before, I am taking things slow this month, not rushing over or passing by what lessons may be learned from trying out this simple exercise. The best way I can describe my process is by comparing it to my recent snorkeling expeditions.

Before coming to St. Croix, I was not very confidant with my swimming abilities in the ocean. Being surrounded by unpredictable currents and a plethora of foreign creatures in the sea can be anxiety inducing. Even here in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, the wide open blue under the sea can be a welcoming or frightening place, depending on how you look at it. What is that moving over there? Is that beautiful creature a barracuda or box-fish, a sand dollar or a sting ray? Looking down over the conch shells, spikey sea urchins and massive brain coral makes me feel like I am flying over rugged surreal landscapes. In a place without maps, I use the coral reefs and the sea fans as navigational clues to chart my path below. I watch the fish swim in schools; they make me think of flocks of birds flying in formations in the sky. I often forget if I am looking down or up in this underwater world.

But I am becoming more comfortable! Each day, I’m less anxious tipping my head under and venturing in letting the colors calm me. It is certainly a different world under there but the more often I visit the more similarities to my world I find, than differences. I am starting to understand what the creatures around me are, what they do, how they move, what they eat. Instead of fearing them, I am respecting them and am impressed and intrigued.

Knowledge was not the only adjustment I had to make though, I also had to make some physical changes – the first being my breathing. In order to fluidly adapt to this new environment, I had to stop breathing in the way that I knew how to.

Every day I wake up and start to breathe and I don’t think about it. But wearing a snorkel mask changes a few things. You no longer can breathe in or out of your nose. It doesn’t take long to train yourself to breathe in this new way – but I must admit it does take time for it to feel comfortable or normal. I recommend walking around one day wearing a snorkel mask for a few hours and see what it does for you. Besides making people think you’re a bit nuts, it might help you focus on your breathing.

I also noticed pretty quickly that in the water, I had to change my pace and depth of my breath. I needed to balance my swimming speed, allow myself to float and slow my breath down. Gasping for air only left me with a mouthful of saltwater. And kicking furiously only scared the fish away. I needed to become more relaxed, fluid and calm, if I was going to properly experience this new environment. I needed to use my spy training skills stop thinking and start sensing! This is what helps me become invisible allowing me to float effortlessly and unseen taking in all my surroundings but not rippling the water with my own fears and intentions. After all – I am only an invited guest in these waters. In a place as pristine as this, I don’t even want to leave footprints.

The snorkel expeditions have allowed me to, stay connected with my comfort zone, (the air-breathing world above) while at the same time inviting me to experience the water-breathing world below.

Now the only question left now is when will I be ready to stop skimming the surface? What preparations are needed to be ready to dive in fully. I don’t think any actual scuba lessons are in my immediate February future but if there ever was a place and time that I would be welcomed and comforted in the underwater and unknown territories it would be here in these beautiful virgin islands. I am finding St. Croix to be the perfect place to open the mind and heart to new ways of thinking, breathing, and believing. I am sure the next few weeks will help prepare me for my big dive.

Sending lots of love to all my readers and to the island of St. Croix on this Valentines Day!

2/14/14

Just finding this blog today? Read the prologue for more details on what Living Chapters is all about. Check out the Chapter Summaries Page to get caught up to date.

thinking vs sensing

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It’s been a week now into my new mission. While trying to translate the clues on how this chapter would roll out and follow where it might lead, I fell into some secret spy-training sessions. My trainer Grace has helped guide my path in the quest to uncover some of the mysteries that live somewhere deeply hidden within our interpersonal relationships.

this is the training book Grace uses

During the month of February many of us take the time to stop and think about the ones that we love, hold dear, and care for. We show our love and project our thoughts and feelings through plans, gifts, or words. But do we often show our love by taking the time to really understand or feel who that one we love is? Do we accept openly and unconditionally what they would like to receive and would like to offer us? Do we know how to truly listen?

What if we could hear, see or feel in ways that are outside of what we know? Would we realize that it is quite similar or much different from what we understand about ourselves? Be the person you are engaging with is the mission of this month. Have you tried it? Can this strengthen or create unique connections in our relationships?

Grace’s spy training sessions have given me some tools that sharpening my awareness and sensitivity, a first step in learning how to truly listen. I obviously can’t tell you everything that we do in our secret sessions but I will share some of the things we’ve been working on thus far.

1. Imagination/Visualization

2. Observation/Memorization

3. Intuition/Mind Reading

Imagination/Visualization : In this physical landscape of imaginary places, I am finding it easier to access my ability to let go of what “I think I know” to be true and I am becoming more open to seeing and feeling what may actually be true in this new place and time.

Imagine you are listening to yourself talking when someone else speaks to you. Is it possible to conjure a new set of thoughts values and viewpoints for a moment? Could I imagine that I am living in someone else’s skin, another body, working from a different set of circumstances? If so would I start to think like they do, feel like they do?

This visualization helps me to step outside of myself, allowing me to empathize and sympathize. It allows me let go of my own assumptions and prohibits me from projecting my own feelings about that person or the situation. Learning to listen as if I am the person speaking is a step toward becoming more open and accepting to what is being said whether I agree or fully understand it.

Spy Training Practice: Creating secret forts with invisible force fields using only the natural objects found in the garden

Observation/Memorization: Looking and memorizing through observation is another form of listening. A person’s facial and body movements hold so much information to decode. Are they nervous, relaxed, excited, calm, or curious? I find the answers in their foreheads, their eyebrows, their shoulder blades and hands. I observe and try to remember what it feels like to be crunching my shoulders or tilting my head or cracking a smile. I observe and remember their motions and emotions under certain circumstances or with certain people. Can I recreate a similar situation in my next interaction with them?

Spy Training Practice: Hunting hermit crabs and keeping them in captivity. Observing their climbing and nesting tendencies. Memorizing flying patterns of hummingbirds.

Intuition/Mind reading: Sometimes to do the best listening, I tune out all the sounds and clues that are right in front of me and tune into what is happening around me that is not always clear. Turning on my peripheral vision, I can get a feel for the outside environment. Is it cold, are there bright lights, is it loud, are there a lot of other people? How is the wing blowing? What in the environment could affect the interaction with the person you are with? These observation skills come quickly and naturally after a while. Through these exercises, I am defining and honing my intuition. Being omniscient of all that is going on externally creates a sharper sense and clearer picture of what is going on internally. Without verbally asking or intentionally trying, this observation practice becomes involuntary and I naturally start to know or absorb certain information before asking or being told.

Spy Training Practice: Dodging golden orb spider webs in the backyard using peripheral vision and web sensing skills. Where would you live if you were a Golden Orb spider?

Practicing these new skills, pushes me beyond thinking and requires full on sensing. I must thank Grace. One week in and I am equipped and energized to dive into new engagements, interactions, and conversations. The quicker I dive in and sense that natural flow the quicker I feel connected. Now’s the time to put the training to the test. Time to come off this hill.

2/8/14

Just finding this blog today? Read the prologue for more details on what Living Chapters is all about. Check out the Chapter Summaries Page to get caught up to date.

out of my shell and into another

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It’s been a solid seven months of intense introspective work living out the chapters, that my friends have so beautifully written. Focusing on my environment and new surroundings last month was a great first step in pulling me out of my head and back into the physical world. I spent a heck of a lot of time hanging out with rocks, sea shells, ocean waves and hermit crabs last month (which in my opinion is NOT a bad thing) but I am thankful for the “interpersonal relationship” change of theme this month and Max’s suggestion of focusing on being with others and engaging with people in this eighth chapter. This truly is my comfort zone and I welcome the opportunity to dive back in to play with both the people as well as the fish swimming around this beautiful island.

In the few years that I have known Max, I have found that our relationship has helped to ground me wherever I am. He surfaces my own knowledge and skills and then pushes me to learn something new by exploring and observing my environment from different perspectives. He is an incredible wanderer, thinker and connoisseur of the world and the stories it has to offer. Just listening to him share his experiences sometimes feels like he is reflecting back to me my own past adventures, struggles or encounters.

This month he has asked me to explore what it feels like to “be the people” that I am engaging with. This is a whole other level of learning new perspectives. Could I, like a hermit crab changing its home, crawl out of my shell for a moment and move into another? And if I did, what would it feel like? What would it be like?

Be the person that I am engaging with. Woah…. How the heck am I going to actually do this? Will I attempt to take on others feelings? Will I do what they are doing? See what they are seeing? Think what they are thinking? Do I need to learn magic? Do I need to brush up on my psychology reading? Take an acting class maybe? I am definitely going to need a set of tools. Max said this was going to be simple and here I go making it complicated.

I was lost in my own head again dizzying myself with question, when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a small mysterious note tucked under a book on my bed.

The message invited me to a private meeting held in a secret place in our gardens. It was signed “from your leader, trainer and friend”. Once again my island adventure partner and housemate Grace was at my side – pulling me out of my head and back into the present jungle that awaited each morning in the back yard.

As I may have noted before, Grace is nearly ten very intuitive, extremely bright and astute in her observation skills. She has taught me so much already in our 4 weeks living here. I was excited to find out what I could potentially learn today and dashed out the door with my camera, pencil, and notebook in hand.

I arrived making sure no one had followed. Secret meeting places need to stay secret ya know. I arrived and found her waiting for me with a small black book in hand and a mischievous look in her eye. “Whats on the agenda?” I asked. “Spy training” she replied.

I was immediately intrigued, crawled in between the sticks and branches sat down and started taking notes. Secret spy training? Of course! This was exactly what would provide me the needed skills to accomplish Max’s mission.

2/4/14

Just finding this blog today? Read the prologue for more details on what Living Chapters is all about. Check out the Chapter Summaries Page to get caught up to date.

chapter eight

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Dear Beth,

Alright, so February is about the interpersonal. I feel like this is your forte – you KNOW how to connect with people.

But let’s try this anyway. I thought of this, that and the other, but have arrived I think at a very simple month for you (my favorite discarded idea, by the way, was to ask you to meet a bunch of strangers and throw a party for them!)

Ok, so, a month in two phases:

1. Listen. Interact. Be with the person you’re interacting with – and explore your moment of interaction by knowing that you ARE them.

What??… so let me be simpler, or try to be. I would like you, whenever you remember and it comes to mind, when in an interaction with another person, to take an attitude that this person is yourself. That simple – just think something like “I am listening to myself”, or “This is myself”.

It’s a creative visualization, i guess. Just thinking that you are who you are with.

You don’t need to go out and look for people to do this with. Just live your day-to-day, and when it comes to mind, and you’re interacting with someone, just think and hold the attitude – this is myself.

(There might be a reaction against doing this, from within, say if you are in a conflict with the person or something. See if you can override your personal needs for a time, and allow the identification with someone else to be stronger.)

Do that, and observe it, and let us know how it feels.

2. Do something about it. Once you get to mid-month or so, though you can start thinking about this as soon as you want, take some time to think about what this experience has felt like, and the people who you’ve conducted the ‘experiment’ with. I mean the people you’ve related to as yourself.

And do something for them! Go into the experience of ‘being them’ and them being you – and see what you feel there, in terms of something to do for them. Maybe it isn’t anything at all – maybe you feel they don’t need anything – and that is fine. Or maybe it’s that they need something specific that you can do. Do it. And let us know.

I’ll try to do some of this too.

That’s all Beth! I hope you have fun with this! And no pressure to get your head around trying to have a deep or crazy experience that is interpersonal. Just simply let go and see if it can actually feel like you’re swimming around in yourself…

2/1/14

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pulling up roots; planting new seeds

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photographs by Grace Lichtner

At the beginning of this month I was contemplating what it felt like to be “at home” in a new place. I questioned and discussed this with many people. The response that made the most sense to me was “to be at home is to be connected”. After this month of exploring new territory, I tend to agree with this statement. Whether it’s feeling connected to the land, the water, the culture, or the people who I am surrounded by, feeling at home really does come down to the connections that I make in my immediate environment.

In these past four weeks, I, along with my housemates here, have gone through a lot of changes leaving old patterns behind and creating new ones. (in eating, sleeping, and communicating). I am becoming aware of my own reactions while also watching and observing my good friend Jim gradually build the foundation for his new physical home. Pulling up roots from one place can feel like a shock to the system, but I am learning that if I am able to branch out in new ways I will quickly regain nutrients and energy from the fertile soil around me. Studying my natural environment here on the island has helped me feel more connected. This time has offered me valuable lessons including, taking the time to nurture new seeds and making sure not to rush the growing process.

Like coral branching out we all are testing our flexibility stretching our limits and reaching for new connections. As a part of my “field guide” creation this month, I was asked to connect with and collect knowledge from locals on the island through interviews. I have been lucky enough to find the most helpful and kind individuals who have gone out of their way to help me feel at home and feel informed about the foreign terrain and culture. I am grateful for their initial guidance in my first wanderings here. My interviews with them have been informal yet informative. Through our conversations, I am learning by absorbing what it is they love and want to share from their island living perspective, leaving the role of the interviewer behind and taking on the role of the listener, observer and new friend.

My first real connection was Trisa. New friend and “on island” confidant Trisa immediately connected me to good people, good eats and great ways to access the water through a paddle board lesson and snorkel excursion. She also connected me to near by neighbors of mine Theresa and Aaron who are also working on a house remodel project. Theresa writes her own blog offering all kinds of tips for a field guide to island living.

Ty and Adrian of Bush Tribe Eco Adventures are two other fantastic connections. Through Bush Tribe, I made my first explorations hiking and exploring. Ty also manages an amazing place called Discovery Grove where I learned much about the history, plants, and native fruits and herbs on island. Through Ty I was also able to make connections with friendly visitors to the island who then introduced me to Captain Dee. Dee takes visitors sailing and snorkeling. Our excursion brought us to a near by tiny island for some of the best snorkeling I had ever experienced. Ty also introduced me to Dale who runs the fantastic local Sejah farm.

I really have had such little time here, not enough to fully engage in the history or culture of the island yet, but I am seeing each new connection as a seed that has potential to branch out into a whole new garden of possibilities. My “field guide” for St. Croix has barely begun at the end of this month but I am looking forward to taking my time cultivating the exploration and watching it grow.

1/30/14

Just finding this blog today? Read the prologue for more details on what Living Chapters is all about. Check out the Chapter Summaries Page to get caught up to date.

mapping imaginary places

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I’ve spent many years mapping out my life, without the help of a compass or traditional navigational tools. Through pictures, drawings and doodles on Pennsylvania diner napkins and dinner place mats I plotted out my future days. Making lists of places I hoped to go and things I wanted to do, I ordered my scribbles in categories and columns, circling some areas and boxing in others. Then I would connect them with lines, arrows and sometimes numbers – ranking their priority. On paper these maps would appear to be intangible destinations or imaginary places. In reality my “maps” sometimes led me to specific places while helping me come closer to the goals I had written down. I believe that seeing my hopes and ideas visually on paper is the first step to making the impossible possible.

Creating these maps is not really about figuring out how to get somewhere or do something. It’s simply how I set my intentions, which for me is the best way to guide me to or through any new experience. Returning to the drawings or lists solidifies my goals and reminds me of why I embarked on the adventure in the first place.

Rebecca Solnit creates maps in her “Field Guide to Getting Lost” in the form of written chapters. Here in St. Croix, I am living out my chapters in a more experiential way. I am creating visual maps through photographs and written notes focusing on the intentions I set at the beginning of the year. Like the scavenger hunt I created for the October chapter writer, I am using hand written notes and a series of photographs to uncover the different treasures of the island. These photographs and written notes are my personal maps leading my exploration here. Below are my intentions set for each map created.

To feel at home with the unknown,
To learn and absorb new knowledge in new places
To explore uncharted territory

Map one: Feeling at home in the unknown – This month’s Wild Card Dave Schott asked me to take one photograph everyday that made me feel at home in my new surroundings. Below are some examples:

Map two: Learning and absorbing new knowledge – By taking notes, making lists, and making marks, I am starting to absorb new knowledge and ideas about the new environment around me.

Map three: Charting new territory: Often I feel as though I am in an imaginary place here. I have to stop, think twice and look again to understand what I am looking at. The images below map out the places I find myself in that feel more like waking dreams than living out chapters.

1/25/14

Just finding this blog today? Read the prologue for more details on what Living Chapters is all about. Check out the Chapter Summaries Page to get caught up to date.

field guide to being lost

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What does it mean to get lost, be lost, or feel lost? And why do we hold such negative connotations with these ideas? Rebecca Solnit explores these questions in her “Field Guide to Getting Lost” and I have pondered the concepts more and more each day here on the island.

In this 7^th month of Living Chapters I am just now starting to do what I intended this project to do and I am beginning to feel like I’m actually letting go of the reigns and giving over control. It’s as if my environment itself has taken on the role of the chapter writer and is leading the process.

This month I have been asked to create my own field guide to the island of St. Croix. Chapter writer Ashley Duffalo and Wild Card Dave Schott both generously provided me with tools on how to create such a guide. They suggested I take walks, collect objects, record interviews, and make photographs. I am grateful for these guidelines. Following them has made me feel more grounded and has brought a bit of structure to my days.

Instead of an island field guide though, I feel as if I have begun to create my own personal guide for “being lost”. Adapting to a this new environment, has been an exercise in allowing myself to be ok with the feeling of not knowing where I am exactly or where I am going.

When dropped in a new environment either for a short time or an extended stay, I always gravitate toward finding the things that are familiar or that I feel comfortable with: a routine or structure. Upon arriving in a new place, starting a new job or meeting a new friend, I immediately want to uncover the unknown. I map out my surroundings, problem solve, or seek out answers to my list of questions. Although these are great survival instincts when encountering new situations, I do believe that rushing to solve all the mysteries and wanting to know all the answers right away is not the best system for me. I must allow some time for learning in the uncovering.

We all desire to work from the knowledge we possess or the set of personal reference points we’ve identified but I am finding that it is counteractive to rely on that knowledge. Why try to prove what it is that we know when there is opportunity to learn something that we don’t know?

If I truly desire to learn something new and navigate new territory, I must become at ease with the unknown. Navigating only with knowledge and reference points from maps I’ve drawn before will not help me reach new territory.

In Solnit’s “Field Guide” she comments on how getting truly lost has less to do with geography and more to do with questioning identity. Depending on how you look at it being lost can be a bewildering or a wonderful opportunity. It’s a time for one to “shake off the shackles that remind you of who you are, who others think you are” and allows you the opportunity to become who you want to become.

I’m taking my time, learning how to become lost here first before discovering every inch of the island. Letting go, I am not worried about knowing everything about where I am right now and trying to take the opportunity to work on learning about who I am right now.

I am still following my Living chapters guidelines though, tracking what I see, mapping where I walk, and soaking in my surroundings but enjoying it even more knowing that there is no wrong way of wandering when your quest is to become lost.

1/21/14

Just finding this blog today? Read the prologue for more details on what Living Chapters is all about. Check out the Chapter Summaries Page to get caught up to date.

Grace Lichtner has been a great partner for experiments and expeditions into being lost. Below are photographs of plants, objects, and creatures that we found in the lost parts of the house, our backyard and the North Shore that have explored thus far.