Wow, this post has sat in my drafts now for a year, and it was meant as a reflection on my 1 year anniversary of managing the sanctuary...but now it’s my 2 year anniversary! In honor of me a year ago, I’ll keep the 2021 caption as is, a time capsule of you will. “ Sooo it’s a little over a year since I became manager at the sanctuary and I want to share my reflections in case the nostalgia hits me some day. This work is full of ups & downs. The downs being some body part always feels out of place, my heart hurts a lot from caring for such dependent beings whose bodies we manipulated to die young painful deaths, feeling seriously like I might have ADHD and can’t focus on my admin work, and it can feel very isolating and lonely. But I’ve been really trying to put my conscious energy into the ups! There have been lots of good juicy life lessons. Like my relationship with death & grief has evolved from basically not intimately knowing it & fearing it, to letting it be another outlet from which love is expressed. I’ve also been challenged to interface with all kinds of people and keep a smile on my (masked) face (I’ve become a smizing expert). Confronting my tendencies to be guarded and aloof helps me remember that there is so much more to learn when we are open-minded and open-hearted toward people. I truly believe I am safe and trust my own instincts & support system to step in when things get weird. ___ Well, that’s all I wrote at that time which is why it was in my drafts... but as I reflect back on that time, I’m even more grateful for where I am now, 1.5 years into this leadership role. I work alongside an incredible team of volunteers & staff, and feel that the work I am co-creating is making a real impact on our community & youth. I can’t wait to do even more for our local community and expand what it means to steward this sanctuary. It’s about community support right here and right now. If you need some soul medicine, get in your community, offer your service. There are enough hours in the day, and it’s so energizing to act with purpose & know that you made a tangible impact in someone’s life. “ And that’s all she wrote 😉 with my best friend Goober