Wendy: This is a really, really, really great piece of writing. I'll let others more qualified speak to the spiritual dimensions of your experience, I'll just say, writer-to-writer, I know how hard it is to write about one's spiritual passage with that kind of intimacy and objectivity, clarity and mystery. I know how important it is to be able to blend important background context with personal experience and to do it in a way that, rather than thinking, "I wish I could do what she did" the reader will think/feel, "I'm excited about having the opportunity to do this kind of intense work in my own way in my own time.
David: Thank you. I can't tell you how much your words mean. I so appreciate your support and feedback (writer-to-writer). As I'm sure you (and most creatives) know, we so often put our work out into the world--sometimes content with it, other times not, never quite knowing how it might land. Discerning that sometimes feels like reading smoke signals--a ❤️ here and there, sometimes a comment, other times, crickets. It's not all that common to receive direct and meaningful feedback--and even better when it's resoundingly positive. Thank you so much.
Awww, thank you, Wendy! Well, with an emphasis on youth and often an unhealthy container that promotes aging, our society makes it easy to reject the title. I prefer to adopt something akin to an indigenous lens where the embodied wisdom that comes with age is revered. 🩵
What an amazing essay Wendy, thank you for sharing your experience.
I’ve been following the school of lost borders for years so it’s amazing to hear this from you - it’s a long way from the uk but i hope to experience one of these myself in the next few years.
Also resonate with that elder energy you describe - I too have been resisting the elder term, but maybe it’s time to make peace with it or at least try it on for size!
Thank you so much, Rachel! I'm glad my piece resonated with you.
It's not entirely surprising you've been following school of lost borders--kindred souls tend to gather in similar spaces! I do hope you find a way to join them.
Reconciling with the term elder has been interesting...the distance between what it implies in our culture and how alive I feel is vast. However, seen through a lens that integrates the deep reverence for elder wisdom held by indigenous cultures, it lands differently--with the same type of knowingness I wrote of in that piece. 🩷
There is so much here to chew on. Thank you for your exquisite sharing of your experience. For one, the lack of those 'rites of passage' in our culture especially for our teens, is an enormous loss for all.
Thank you, Cara. I agree the lack of ritual leaves huge cultural and individual voids, making it hard for many to find meaning and direction against powerful—and often soulless—economic and cultural forces. Thanks for reading! 🩵
I can't even begin to imagine how profound that experience must have been. Love the part about you embracing elderhood and being an Elder Babe. This was such a beautiful piece, maybe my favourite one of you so far! ❤️
Sophie! Thank you for your kind words--much appreciated! I'm so glad you liked it. I wasn't clear where I was headed when I started writing but was happy with the end result. Thanks for your support. ❤️
Wendy, I really appreciate your honesty about the initial doubts you had during your Vision Fast. The “Was anything happening?” question is something I think many of us can relate to. We often expect these big, dramatic shifts, and when they don’t happen in the way we imagine, we start to question the experience. I’ve had moments where I’ve felt like I was supposed to be having some earth-shattering revelation, and instead, I just felt…quiet. But as you pointed out, sometimes the subtlety is the answer. Sometimes the most profound changes are the ones that happen quietly, beneath the surface. Thank you for sharing that vulnerability. It’s a reminder that we don’t always need fireworks to experience transformation. Sometimes, the quiet moments are the most powerful of all.
Thank you, Alexander. I agree the slow, quiet moments are often the most powerful. The trick is, to experience them requires giving them time and space, and our culture makes that difficult for many people. It seems that the more slow, quiet moments we experience and integrate, the more grounded our life tapestry becomes. The more grounded, the more subtle the next realization. Thanks again for your support.
Wendy, even at 12 yrs old, you were someone I observed with awe. You were the new kid (at least to me) and my desk was beside yours. I observed how well you listened to teachers, and printed, and received your As. When I came over to your house, I observed how connected you were with your dogs (we didn’t have one), or gracefully leapt across barnacled rocks without hesitation before jumping in the ocean. At that point in my life, I had never met anyone like you. I’m sure I was influenced by you and still am to this day.
To me, you have always been your own being, driven by truth, courage, curiosity, and purpose. Now, you are all that as well as an “Elder Babe” basking in the sun up high on a cliff observing the younger one’s growing into themselves. Just exquisite. Thank you 🥰
Karen, Thank you, that means a lot coming from you. I love the reminder of our days scrambling around the rocks and in and around the water. As you know, those are the days that shaped me in indelible ways. I appreciate your support and am happy you're here cheering me on. 🩷
Wendy: This is a really, really, really great piece of writing. I'll let others more qualified speak to the spiritual dimensions of your experience, I'll just say, writer-to-writer, I know how hard it is to write about one's spiritual passage with that kind of intimacy and objectivity, clarity and mystery. I know how important it is to be able to blend important background context with personal experience and to do it in a way that, rather than thinking, "I wish I could do what she did" the reader will think/feel, "I'm excited about having the opportunity to do this kind of intense work in my own way in my own time.
Best wishes for your ongoing "elder" journey.
David: Thank you. I can't tell you how much your words mean. I so appreciate your support and feedback (writer-to-writer). As I'm sure you (and most creatives) know, we so often put our work out into the world--sometimes content with it, other times not, never quite knowing how it might land. Discerning that sometimes feels like reading smoke signals--a ❤️ here and there, sometimes a comment, other times, crickets. It's not all that common to receive direct and meaningful feedback--and even better when it's resoundingly positive. Thank you so much.
This resonates with me! I can see that I've been rejecting the elder title when others have seen this in me. Thank you for articulating this so well.
Awww, thank you, Wendy! Well, with an emphasis on youth and often an unhealthy container that promotes aging, our society makes it easy to reject the title. I prefer to adopt something akin to an indigenous lens where the embodied wisdom that comes with age is revered. 🩵
What an amazing essay Wendy, thank you for sharing your experience.
I’ve been following the school of lost borders for years so it’s amazing to hear this from you - it’s a long way from the uk but i hope to experience one of these myself in the next few years.
Also resonate with that elder energy you describe - I too have been resisting the elder term, but maybe it’s time to make peace with it or at least try it on for size!
Thank you so much, Rachel! I'm glad my piece resonated with you.
It's not entirely surprising you've been following school of lost borders--kindred souls tend to gather in similar spaces! I do hope you find a way to join them.
Reconciling with the term elder has been interesting...the distance between what it implies in our culture and how alive I feel is vast. However, seen through a lens that integrates the deep reverence for elder wisdom held by indigenous cultures, it lands differently--with the same type of knowingness I wrote of in that piece. 🩷
There is so much here to chew on. Thank you for your exquisite sharing of your experience. For one, the lack of those 'rites of passage' in our culture especially for our teens, is an enormous loss for all.
Thank you, Cara. I agree the lack of ritual leaves huge cultural and individual voids, making it hard for many to find meaning and direction against powerful—and often soulless—economic and cultural forces. Thanks for reading! 🩵
You said it a lot better than I ever could!
I can't even begin to imagine how profound that experience must have been. Love the part about you embracing elderhood and being an Elder Babe. This was such a beautiful piece, maybe my favourite one of you so far! ❤️
Sophie! Thank you for your kind words--much appreciated! I'm so glad you liked it. I wasn't clear where I was headed when I started writing but was happy with the end result. Thanks for your support. ❤️
sometimes things that happen unplanned turn out to be the best 😊
Wendy, I really appreciate your honesty about the initial doubts you had during your Vision Fast. The “Was anything happening?” question is something I think many of us can relate to. We often expect these big, dramatic shifts, and when they don’t happen in the way we imagine, we start to question the experience. I’ve had moments where I’ve felt like I was supposed to be having some earth-shattering revelation, and instead, I just felt…quiet. But as you pointed out, sometimes the subtlety is the answer. Sometimes the most profound changes are the ones that happen quietly, beneath the surface. Thank you for sharing that vulnerability. It’s a reminder that we don’t always need fireworks to experience transformation. Sometimes, the quiet moments are the most powerful of all.
Thank you, Alexander. I agree the slow, quiet moments are often the most powerful. The trick is, to experience them requires giving them time and space, and our culture makes that difficult for many people. It seems that the more slow, quiet moments we experience and integrate, the more grounded our life tapestry becomes. The more grounded, the more subtle the next realization. Thanks again for your support.
Wendy, even at 12 yrs old, you were someone I observed with awe. You were the new kid (at least to me) and my desk was beside yours. I observed how well you listened to teachers, and printed, and received your As. When I came over to your house, I observed how connected you were with your dogs (we didn’t have one), or gracefully leapt across barnacled rocks without hesitation before jumping in the ocean. At that point in my life, I had never met anyone like you. I’m sure I was influenced by you and still am to this day.
To me, you have always been your own being, driven by truth, courage, curiosity, and purpose. Now, you are all that as well as an “Elder Babe” basking in the sun up high on a cliff observing the younger one’s growing into themselves. Just exquisite. Thank you 🥰
Karen, Thank you, that means a lot coming from you. I love the reminder of our days scrambling around the rocks and in and around the water. As you know, those are the days that shaped me in indelible ways. I appreciate your support and am happy you're here cheering me on. 🩷