This time last year, I was finishing a course on how to be a book coach and starting my first book coaching job. The course was taught by writer and book coach Jennie Nash, who sends a monthly newsletter to her students. In this month’s newsletter, she quoted writer Annie Dillard. I found the quote—and Jennie’s response—inspiring:
“We are here to witness the creation and to abet it,” wrote Annie Dillard. “We are here to notice each thing so each thing gets noticed. Together we notice not only each mountain shadow and each stone on the beach but, especially, we notice the beautiful faces and complex natures of each other. We are here to bring to consciousness the beauty and power that are around us and to praise the people who are here with us. We witness our generation and our times. We watch the weather. Otherwise, creation would be playing to an empty house.”
Then Jennie wrote this: “Witnessing has always felt like sacred work to me.”
Do the sacred work. Notice. Watch. Witness creation. May each season play to a full house.
Nurture peace, cultivate kindness, and carry the calm.
Nature of the week:
Shadow of the Week – the shadow of a shopping cart falling on a paper bag:
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Text and photos © 2021 Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.