Good evening Mycelials,
I am eagerly writing this from the comfort of my Study. Sitting at my desk, the only light coming from the few low lights in shadowed corners of the room, and my dim computer screen. The flickering flame of my 2007 faux fireplace with the heater function on – because this space gets quite chilly without it – adding a cozy touch to the ambiance, and the peaceful scent of my Nag Champa Incense burning a steady stream of smoke to my right.
In the everyday rush of life, it is incredibly difficult to reserve time to enjoy the simple things that truly ground you. This is exactly why I was determined to create a space like this when we purchased our home. The older I get, the more I yearn for a space to simply exist. A place where I can hide away and just melt everything away from the day. A place created with the intention of deepening my connection with myself and nurturing my relationship with Mother Nature.
I have many framed animal bones, taxidermy bugs and crab molts that still need to go up onto the walls of this space. These items remind me that both growing and dying are beautiful and are a natural part of the life cycle. Take a cicada for example – the Nymphs burrow for years, only to emerge from their exoskeleton as adult Cicadas where their only job is to mate before inevitably dying just weeks later. Or crabs, who molt their exoskeleton many times in their lifetime as they grow bigger and bigger – each time leaving them vulnerable until their new exoskeleton hardens. Growth is uncomfortable, and death is unavoidable…and so is the fact…that if you are a bug or crab and I find your remains, you’ll likely be added to my collection. I have officially had a friend bring me a deceased dragonfly they came across and it’s currently on a pin board drying out. I love it.
A message came through a couple of weeks ago and it was a photo of an Orb Weaver spider this person had seen on their morning walk, and instead of walking on by, they stopped and took a photo to send and told me that they channeled their inner “Brittany” and stopped to watch it for a little bit. This was probably the first time I had ever gotten a message like that, and it just proved to me that my words are working. I am always talking about how we should love all creatures we share this planet with, (even the ones that give us the heebie jeebies). I have scooped up and relocated multiple wolf spiders from our home because they are just trying to survive like we are and nothing deserves to die because we deem them deserving of death. It reminds me of one of my all time favorite quotes by Gandalf the Grey spoken to Frodo in The Fellowship of the Ring. Here he says, “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” which I find to be a perfect quote when speaking about killing things we just don’t like or make us feel some type of way.
I believe I have rambled on enough for the night, and I must prepare to retire for the evening. I wish all reading this a good night and a happy Friday. Rest easy, as the weekend is near. May you receive an abundance of good fortune – until we meet again.
– Brittany
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