Recently, I had the opportunity to go floating on the Wenatchee river with some other staff from the Guild. While I’d floated before, I underestimated how different this river would b —louder, faster, and full of rocks. I wondered why we brought paddles for what I assumed would be a lazy float—until I found myself clinging to the raft as the current tossed us around. Three hours later, I got home exhausted but happy to have a great memory.  Reflecting back on the experience, I realized I had a certain narrative in my mind about what the trip was going to be like. I hadn’t really considered the possibility that it might not be exactly what I was used to and expecting. Ultimately, I had a lot more fun with the exciting new adventure. It made me think about how I often apply a linear way of thinking in different aspects of my life; particularly, when it comes […]

This summer, I am deeply grateful for all the growth and beauty I’ve been able to experience in the natural world. Cowles Bog, a trail in the Indiana Dunes National Park, was lovely the first time I hiked it in January, but now it gives a magical feeling filled in by green plants and dotted with yellow and purple flowers. I’m glad this summer that I am able to appreciate the beauty in moments of slowness. The garden I am helping with provides a different landscape of learning compared to hiking in the park with campers. But all of this growth, around me and in me, is a gift. My gratitude increases as I read Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass because her thoughts lead me to find awe in the intricacies of the natural world. In this book, Kimmerer weaves Indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge through her gift of storytelling, and proposes an alternate way to be in […]