Which way to go?

looking up a green path between trees to a gate

Pathfinding or pathmaking? A good question. And the answer is yes… … both, and it depends. Looking back on my life, I’ve been a quiet pathmaker. I’ve stepped out and done things that were not usual in my culture or era. And I’ve created room for others to follow. Yet I have other friends who … Read more

Do you know how fast is fast?

Bramble limb with fresh green leaves being pulled by fast current in the stream

There isn’t an absolute answer to how fast is fast. It’s contextual – it all depends. Perhaps the question is, who or what is driving the speed? Whose agenda is it anyway? And that equally applies to going slow… So whose life are we living? Pause. See differently. Re-story 🌿

The challenge of fruitfulness

a luscious bunch of ripening rowan berries

Have you noticed that when you have something on your mind, you tend to see it everywhere? Continuing to muse on fruitfulness, my attention was caught by the colourful abundance of a rowan tree along the green path. But something was odd. The angle wasn’t right. And then I realised that the weight of the … Read more

Knowing the value of words

close-up image of lavender heads

Words surround us. They can be generated so easily that we’re drowning in them. Yet they are the very stuff of our connection with each other. We hurry them. Excuse them in the name of authenticity and treat them as something to throw away when they no longer serve our needs. Yet they are also … Read more

Listening to the voice of wisdom

I wonder if we have lost sight of wisdom. Or have forgotten how to recognise it. Because wisdom isn’t knowledge on steroids. It’s not the verdict of the most well-read person or someone with the most qualifications. It is a quality of a different order and isn’t in service of the person exercising it. Instead, … Read more

On the power of two

on-the-power-of-two

We can do some things on our own but are far better together. Take repairing fences, for example. Yes, we do have the tools to do a solo job. But it’s much easier and quicker when we are two. And then there are things that we cannot do alone. Take shearing the alpacas, for example. … Read more

Flourishing in the right place

flourishing-in-the-right-place

Accepting the gifts we have and that we are, isn’t passive. As custodians of this little valley, with its more-than-human inhabitants, we pay active attention to the environment. This is wisdom at work. And likewise, we need to pay attention to the place where we, and our creativity, flourish. Or, in the wise words of … Read more

Being intentional about how we look

being-intentional-about-how-we-look

How we look and the posture we take in the looking shapes what we expect to find. That’s fine if we’re searching for something tangible we’ve mislaid, and we know where we lost it. Because it stops us from wasting effort and attention, both of which are precious. But how often is this the case? … Read more

Why we don’t celebrate the first pancake

why-we-don't-celebrate-the-first-pancake

This phrase – we don’t celebrate the first pancake – was one of the gems from a recent two-part podcast. Brené Brown, Adam Grant and Simon Sinek gathered for an extended conversation without agenda. Simon hosted it for his podcast A Bit of Optimism. It’s a lovely shorthand to remind us that it’s not about … Read more