What are you grateful for, lately?
With love,
Michy
A Moveable Feast |
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As summer quickly descends into fall here in the Swannanoa Valley, I've found it necessary to take deeper breaths and pay more attention to all the wonder around me. (I may not be able to stop time, but I can slow myself down moving through it.) That's the hope, at least. You can read the speech he gave to Congress here. The singular beauty of this places never ceases to captivate me. I'm constantly grateful for my home in the mountains.
What are you grateful for, lately? With love, Michy
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Last Saturday Adam and I celebrated our 21st birthday. It's been challenging for me to figure out how to mark our birthday through this platform, perhaps that's why I'm nearly a week late, but what feels best right now is to give thanks and extend love to all the people and experiences that helped to make this birthday particularly memorable. As I compiled this list what stood out to me most was the abundance of love surrounding me here at school specifically, but during this time of my life in general. At all times of the day I'm surrounded by those whom I love deeply in the many, often goofy and awkward, ways I express love and who love me back in the many ways they know how to love. The bonds I'm building here are deep, grounding, and supportive (and for that I am truly grateful). So, without further ado, here is a list of 10 highlights from my first week as a 21 year old. 1. Coffee: (no explanation required) 2. Sweet notes from the roomie 3. Work that inspires, worship that grounds, and prayer that guides 4. Friends who remind me that sometimes it's more about the people than the place 5. But place matters a hell of a lot, too 6. Courage "Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant "To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart." Over time, this definition has changed, and today, we typically associate courage with heroic and brave deeds. But in my opinion, this definition fails to recognize the inner strength and level of commitment required for us to actually speak honestly and openly about who we are and about our experiences -- good and bad. Speaking from our hearts is what I think of as "ordinary courage.” -Brene Brown 7. Late night tea inspiration (aka payments for late night child care) 8. Putting good advice into action (self-love, y'all) 9. Fam Din @ La Bambas 10. Adam The Twinner's love and support for me extends beyond words (as evidenced by his stance in solidarity with me against hair brushes).
I hope this coming week brings you many opportunities to rock wild hair, a big smile, and a heart full of courage! All my love and more, Michy You either step forward into growth, or back into safety. -Abraham Maslow This summer was a wonderful time of risk, growth, challenge, and joy. As I ease back into the swing of things on campus, I can't wait to begin sharing what I learned with you this coming year.
Much love and wild flowers, Michy Hi friends, My how time flies! Since my last post summer has arrived, I finished up my second year of college(!!!!), and found myself a summer job back in the valley. Currently I'm back home, but in less than two weeks I will begin work at a summer camp in Black Mountain, NC called Camp Lakey Gap. Camp Lakey Gap is a residential summer camp that works to provide an exceptional summer camp experience for individuals with autism, ages 4 to 18+. I will work as a counselor at the camp for the entire month of June and July and I could not be more excited for this opportunity! In preparation for the start of camp staff (myself included) will be participating in the annual Zipping for Autism event hosted by Asheville Zipline Canopy and Treetop Adventures. The goal of the event is to raise $50,000 to be donated to the Autism Society of North Carolina to better support all the work they are doing in western NC. $5,000 of the overall $50,000 will be donated to Camp Lakey Gap to be used for scholarships for campers to attend camp. This is a wonderful and generous donation for the camp! However, in order to participate in the fundraising event camp staff still need to raise $1100 by June 7th. This seems like a large amount of money to raise in a short period of time, but remember that every bit helps! Also, divided among all the staff individually we only need to $50 each. Your donation will not only contribute the donation for the Autism Society and camper scholarships for Lakey Gap, but will help our staff engage in important team building and play before camp begins! If you would like to make a donation please follow the link below to my donation page for a secure giving option: http://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1132887&supId=423373389&extSite Click on: "Give now" in the top right corner and follow donation instructions from there. Thank you so much in advance for your generosity and contribution to this meaningful cause! If you would like to learn more about Camp Lakey Gap watch this video: My laptop gave up the ghost a few weeks ago so you may not see many posts from me this summer, but be sure to check back for updates about my camp experience in the coming months and all the other fun summer shenanigans ahead!
Much love, Michelle Credo che la primavera è un tempo della cambia. Aspettando. Lavorando. Sperando. Aspettando. Lavorando. Sperando. (per la cambia).
Con il mio amore, il mio cuore, e il mio sorriso, Michy Le printemps est arrivé! La primavera é arrivato! La primavera llegó! What an exciting time! This year in the valley spring has come on slowly with stretches of warmth and then quick returns to colder weather, but with the passing of the spring equinox I'm hopeful that blue skies and warm weather are here to stay. This past week was spring break here at Wilsonland and I spent the week working for Landscape Crew which meant plenty of time in the warm sun. This week was a sweet time to recharge and refocus my energy for the last eight weeks of the semester. The beauty of the world and my own life hit me with such force and humility this week I am nearly at a loss for words. Some highlights of the week included: Learning how to salsa dance Fresh berries Onion grass and clementines Driving the dumpster buggy Working next to the cows Planting native grasses in the green house Seeing the mountains (and Garden Cabin covered in rain) Opening the suite windows to welcome in spring (Officially) putting away my flannel sheets Celebrating the Persian New Year with sweet friends My life here is a such a beautiful and grace filled gift. I am remiss when I forget to keep my eyes open to the wonder around me, but I am nonetheless grateful for and humbled by the many ways I have been reminded this week to keep my heart filled with love, joy, and wonder because this world really is a beautiful place.
Happy Spring, everyone!! All my love and more, Michelle But isn't this the very purpose of our lives: to live in a such a way that our very breath testifies to the grace and glory of God?
“What is more important than the meal? Doesn’t the least observant man-about-town look upon the implementation and ritual progress of a meal as a liturgical prescription? Isn’t all of civilization apparent in these careful preparations, which consecrate the spirit’s triumph over a raging appetite?” ~Paul Valéry Let His love and mercy satisfy you today. With love, Michy Up until I was seven years old I lived in a bi-level with my three brothers, my parents and our family dog. Walking in through the front door the stairs split with a flight leading upstairs to the living, kitchen, my parents room, and the room I shared with my twin--Adam. The stairs going to the basement led to a unfinished spare room, the laundry room and the room of my two oldest brothers--Stephen and Matthew. When I was five years old, to accommodate our growing family my parents boughtt Adam and I a bunk bed. He took the top, I took the bottom. Around this same time Stephen and Matthew reported hearing strange noises (in the form of a red-eyed lion, mind you) coming from their bedroom in the basement. Despite my mom's protests and reassurances that there was no such creation in our basement Stephen and Matthew decided to move upstairs to the room I was sharing with Adam. At five years old I believed everything my 11 year old brother told me and was thoroughly convinced for several years our basement was hiding a red-eyed lion lurking in a corner just ready to pounce. So when the four of us started sharing one bunk bed I didn't protest. For me, it was like a sleepover with my best friends every night. My brothers might not remember our shared room so fondly, as I had a penchant for lining every square inch of our bed space with our toys and my dolls, but for the two years that we shared the space I'd like to think we had a fun time. This weekend my suitemates and I have been thrown into the mix of involuntary displacement (due to a burst pipe--not a red-eyed lion) and I once again find myself sharing a bunk bed with one of my favorite people, but this time from the top bunk. From the top bunk with love,
Michelle "For many of us the march from Selma to Montgomery was about protest and prayer. Legs are not lips and walking is not kneeling. And yet our legs uttered songs. Even without words, our march was worship. I felt my legs were praying." -Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel This weekend I participated in my second (the 9th annual) Historic Thousands on Jones Street. It was moving and powerful and I'm glad I was able to share the streets of the capitol with so many inspiring North Carolinians for a few hours.
Have a week full of hot tea, good stretches, and sweet words! xoxo, Michy (To see my post from last year's march click: here) Dear Readers (aka my mama), this ol' blog needs a dust jacket for all the time it sits around untouched. Thanks for your patience and thoughtful comments. Dear Atlanta, thank you for reminding of why I became a Social Work major. Dear Twinner, your Snapchats remind of just how much I miss your smile. COME VISIT PRESTO, PER FAVORE. Dear Italy, it's only been four weeks since I've been gone, but I miss you so much you've got me taking pictures of Italian cookies in Ingles. Dear Stephen and Jessica, this week you move to the Forever West. The land of few people and lots of corn. I promise to come visit if you promise to take me to Yellowstone.
Dear bros, thanks for making the suite life even sweeter. Much love and even more homework, Michy |
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