As I am writing this, contemplating what I would want you to know about me, I am simultaneously imagining that if there was only one thing I could learn about other people, what would it be?

Consider this: when we land earthside, we all have a vision, a question, or better yet, a dream deeply embedded within us. This question leads us to fall in love with some aspect of this world we are meant to nurture, rebalance, and protect. If there were one thing I would want to know about other people or to have them know about me, it would be that question. What are you endlessly curious about? This musing is the core of everyone’s essence. As infinite-dimensional beings, I believe every aspect of our lives reflects that question in one manner or another, whether it is our careers, relationships (especially our relationships), wounds, patterns, choices, consciousnesses, dreams, desires, etc. Yes… I would want to know this about everyone if given the chance.

How I word my question varies throughout time; it now reads: “What does it mean to birth a more connected, beautiful, and harmonious world?” This question has always been with me, and I don’t believe it has an answer. Every query is a portal of boundless curiosities, perspectives, and possibilities. This question has initiated exploration surrounding personal mythology, archetypes, symbolism, dreams, relationships, self-sovereignty, femininity, beauty, nature, and belonging. I look forward to creating more conversation surrounding these awe-inspiring themes born from my unanswerable question.

To reiterate, this question has no answer and is paradoxical in nature. This is because this world is simultaneously perfect and imperfect. It’s already beautiful as is, even if there are aspects of it many would consider ugly. “Beautiful” and “ugly” as naturally occurring opposites are soulmates, as are any diametrically opposing dualistic poles. (Think “light” and “shadow” minus all of the “love and light” rhetoric.) I.e., with that innate beauty, there is also so much shadow, and yet so much beauty in every shadow. I believe that everything is synchronous and has something to teach us because everything is woven by the same sacred intelligence. That sacred intelligence allows us to recognize beauty when we see it. Beauty inspires awe; love is the experience of awe. Just because things aren’t how we would want them to be doesn’t mean that beauty isn’t there. That is why I liken that Sacred Intelligence to The Mother. As I have learned from my own mother and the timeless archetype, what makes a great mother isn’t one who always gives us what we want but what we need.

I have learned over the past year that I have so many things to be incredibly thankful for, and admittedly, it took not having them to realize just how important they are to me. I am thankful for my access to clean air (note I have always been thankful to go for walks outside and dually aware of how much better I feel when I can, but not having pristine air circa the summer of 2023 compounded this sense of gratitude), clean water (I was warned that the water in my college town might have trace amounts of lead; I drank from the tap like an idiot (now I have a nice water filter)), sunlight (my bedroom right now isn’t the most inviting to the sun but I acknowledge the lack thereof is also due to the winter) and natural beauty of the earth (I feel a strong magnetism during spring and summer but I am learning to appreciate the winter).

For whatever reason, simply stating that I am eternally grateful for clean air, clean water, sunlight, and the beauty of the earth feels like a resounding way to acknowledge how I am astoundingly and inherently privileged. Nonetheless, for a while, this privilege blocked me from writing about things that I unequivocally care about because there are so many people who simply do not have adequate access to clean air, clean water, sunlight, and the natural beauty of the earth. Everything I wrote seemed trivial when compared to all of the injustice and ugliness present. Shouldn’t those people be cared for first? Possibly. I think this could be argued either way.

When I run up against this wall, I am reminded and inspired by my sister. My sister has the largest heart of anyone I know (she jokes that she inherited it from our maternal grandmother, whose spirit I can feel with me every day) and is dedicating her life to occupational therapy, focusing on those who are experiencing mental health challenges. Mental health isn’t always considered a basic need such as clean air, water, etc. Mental health challenges are invariably prevalent in equity-deserving communities, and it can be incredibly difficult to get access to adequate care. Even if you have the resources, as I have seen in my own family, it is still stigmatized in so many BIPOC communities to seek out any form of care even though any form of health is your quality of life. It has taken me such a long time to even heal my own biases as to where mental health care falls on the hierarchy of needs.

Such is the same with many social injustices. I am very fortunate to have access to clean air, clean water, sunlight, and the beauty of the earth. Just because I have so much doesn’t mean I leave everything as is. In fact, I think it means you need to give of yourself, your natural beauty, more because you have those resources. My sister’s magnum opus, her vision, reminds me that there are so many talented healers of all forms doing their part in whatever way they see fit to create a more connected, beautiful, and harmonious world. We all deserve beauty, connection, and peace. I may not agree with everyone’s interpretation of what that is and how it manifests, but I do trust that as long as I offer myself in whatever way I feel guided to the outcome is synchronous, and there is much to be learned thereafter.