This week my daughter Marielle Velander reflects on the question she asked herself on the Camino: How can I live with more ease? We publish the first part today and the second on Thursday.
So moving and beautifully written Marielle! I loved reading your mom's experiences of the trip, and bookending with your soul-searching reflections was the icing on the cake for the series. Good luck in what I can only imagine is a continuos pursuit to finding ease. <3
Thank you for reading my contribution to this series. Yes I feel like the Camino was only a small step in that journey of finding ease, but an incredibly helpful one nonetheless.
Hi Marielle - I’ve been following along and love hearing your thoughts and reflections after having “walked” with your mother’s.
I also resonate very much with the question, “how can I be more at ease?” I habitually over function and find it difficult to put things down. I no longer consider myself a perfectionist but I do slide into overworking/overthinking/overwhelming myself. It’s hard to quiet the mind when it’s used to being task master 🙃
Your poetry is lovely and I never knew there was a word for those shadow patterns amidst the trees -“komorebi”. If there’s anyplace that will quiet my noisy mind, it’s the forest. 🌳
Thank you for walking along with us, Allison. And yes, overfunctioner here, too, but I have found the more I let others take over where possible and sensible (which is more often than I think), it's really a gift to both them and me. Quieting the task master mind--that is a practice, too, for which I show myself grace for when I do manage and especially when I don't. And I know about your lovely forest walks. Perhaps you'll treat us to some "komorebi" photos on your Substack soon if you spot them.
Marielle, I very much enjoyed your very poetic and beautiful essay. The imagery of the dancing shadows in the forest has stuck with me and I love that Japanese word that you introduced. Be water, my friend -- as Bruce Lee famously said. I hope the river of life and love connects you to the essence of your sacred being, and that you will continue to bask in the afterglow of the pilgrimage with a sense of ease in your life going forward.
So moving and beautifully written Marielle! I loved reading your mom's experiences of the trip, and bookending with your soul-searching reflections was the icing on the cake for the series. Good luck in what I can only imagine is a continuos pursuit to finding ease. <3
Thank you for reading my contribution to this series. Yes I feel like the Camino was only a small step in that journey of finding ease, but an incredibly helpful one nonetheless.
Thank you for this beautiful light in my heavy day, Amy.
Thank you for sharing with us that it resonated!
Hi Marielle - I’ve been following along and love hearing your thoughts and reflections after having “walked” with your mother’s.
I also resonate very much with the question, “how can I be more at ease?” I habitually over function and find it difficult to put things down. I no longer consider myself a perfectionist but I do slide into overworking/overthinking/overwhelming myself. It’s hard to quiet the mind when it’s used to being task master 🙃
Your poetry is lovely and I never knew there was a word for those shadow patterns amidst the trees -“komorebi”. If there’s anyplace that will quiet my noisy mind, it’s the forest. 🌳
I’m so glad to hear my question resonated with you and that I could introduce you to komorebi. I wish you ease, and perhaps a forest walk soon?
Thank you for walking along with us, Allison. And yes, overfunctioner here, too, but I have found the more I let others take over where possible and sensible (which is more often than I think), it's really a gift to both them and me. Quieting the task master mind--that is a practice, too, for which I show myself grace for when I do manage and especially when I don't. And I know about your lovely forest walks. Perhaps you'll treat us to some "komorebi" photos on your Substack soon if you spot them.
Marielle, I very much enjoyed your very poetic and beautiful essay. The imagery of the dancing shadows in the forest has stuck with me and I love that Japanese word that you introduced. Be water, my friend -- as Bruce Lee famously said. I hope the river of life and love connects you to the essence of your sacred being, and that you will continue to bask in the afterglow of the pilgrimage with a sense of ease in your life going forward.
I’m so glad you enjoyed my essay. I had forgotten about that Bruce Lee quote - so apt! I wish you a life of ease as well. Thank you for reading.