My mom and I went to a really interesting talk last night about the history of Tamalpais Valley, the area of Mill Valley where I grew up. The presenter had lots of old pictures and maps. We found out the street next to us was originally named Main Street because they planned that to be the ‘downtown’. It would’ve been quite a different neighborhood if that had happened, since I was a kid there has only been a 7-11 and a couple of other smaller businesses. There was also a news article from 1941 saying there was a tendency to report Tamalpais Valley as a ‘residence of delinquents who have come to grips with the law’. I think this was because the closest bar to the war time shipyard housing nearby was at the edge of the neighborhood.
While we knew about the plan for Marincello (a community of tens of thousands in dense housing in the Marin Headlands), we didn’t know that there had also been very serious talk by an influential group to put in a 4 lane highway down Tennessee Valley road, along the ridge line and up the coast! Insane. Thank goodness for the people who spent years fighting both those proposals.
Speaking of people who have put energy into fighting proposals that would have a negative impact on communities, over the weekend some cousins from out of state can to visit. While it was fantastic to catch up with them, it was sobering to hear how all of the recent federal cuts have affected their family. Literally, all four of their livelihoods are threatened because of changes that have happened in just the last few months as they work in the arts, immigration law, clean energy and health research. They are all still working hard in their various professions, but the uncertainty has caused lots of mental health stress for them and the communities they serve.
Talking to them made me think about the fact that while it is important to speak out and highlight the negative impacts those cuts make in our communities, it’s also vital that we take care of ourselves. It’s even more important now to spend time with people you love, get out into the natural world, and nourish your creativity. We all need sustenance in order to continue doing important work during challenging times.
On my downtime, I have been collaging and participating in a nature oriented online women’s group called Wild Soul Woman based on a book of the same name by Mary Reynolds Thompson. It has been a wonderful group to learn from and explore different archetypes based on nature. Here’s something I recently wrote having to do with ocean and river woman.
When I ride the wild river of my wanting, I am free, open, sharing unabashedly with the world. I embrace the rush, the unexpected dips and turns, getting soaked is part of the fun. I’m exhilarated and excited – what is around the next corner? I feel the cold water ferrying my body along, I’m so alive. I have no fear – what happens will happen and I will be all right. It’s so much better than sitting on the bank watching. I am immersed and part of the flow, I adjust naturally and thrill at the adventure. Joyful screams erupt from my lips as the rollercoaster drops, picking up speed before settling in for a moment of calm – I see the blue sky and tree limbs above. I am buoyed and buoyant, alive.
I’ve also been getting out for hikes. One hike was to my favorite tree up off the walk trail and another was a hike on Mount Tam near the Mountain Home Inn. On one of my hikes, I started wondering what my goal is when I’m out hiking? Is it how long I hike, how far I go, how many steps I take, what I see, what I take pictures of, how I document it, how I feel when I’m in the forest, the life it gives me, the thoughts that come up, new realizations, or old ones, feeling contentment, how fast I’m going, or how slow, how strong I feel, how happy I am, if I can connect with my feelings, getting to a certain endpoint, the weather? What makes one hike better or worse than another? Is the goal conscious or unconscious? Do different kind of hikes have different kinds of goals? Do they serve different needs or all the same? Is nature a place to go and shed who I am out in the bigger world and just be myself? Do I hike to feel better, to feel safe, to feel strong, to feel accomplished, to brag about it to other people, to be able to post pictures, to conquer a new place, to explore a new place, or an old place that is different from the last time, or maybe it’s the same and it makes me feel safe because I know it and I know what to expect and it’s a comfort for me. I’ve always felt safe in a forest. I can’t think of one time that I didn’t, and in fact, I prefer to be out on my own instead of with others so that I can soak up everything, I can move at my own pace, whereas if I’m driving, I can’t do that. The only time that I have to stop when I’m hiking is if I physically feel like I need to, there are rarely times when I have to stop and wait for something on a hike. I never know what I’m going to see or hear or smell or touch or taste when I’m hiking. It can be quieter than a church or cacophonously loud, especially with bird sound or the wind. Another reason I hike is to be in the wild, to be wild myself. This wildness calls to me, especially being amongst the trees, moving up the mountain, seeing the view, the trail ahead, so much unexplored. I can get lost as such a small part of nature and yet feel so powerful being in it. I think of all the places that I want to explore in nature in other parts of the state, the country, the world, so so many gorgeous places. I just want to be in them, for my feet to hit the ground, my eyes to absorb what’s around me, my nose to smell different scents, my ears to hear new sounds, my tongue to taste the air, my hands to touch the trees, my body to feel the Earth.
Annemarie was quoted in an article in the national news in New Zealand after her neighborhood was without power for several days following a big storm. In fact, it was so windy in Wellington she got sent home from work. This in a place where gale force winds are a common occurrence! They were lucky that they had a gas stove, but ended up hiring a generator to keep their refrigerator going and charge up their electronics. I only wish the news was slow enough in our country to warrant something like that being considered newsworthy.
In one of my phone calls with Kieran we were talking about reading books and he mentioned the impact of my ‘making’ the kids read regularly. When he went for his high school freshman orientation he tested at a college reading level. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very interested in most of the books he had to read in high school, but did say he wants to incorporate reading into his life again. I don’t remember forcing my kids to read, though I did spend many, many hours reading to them (I remember in particular the Harry Potter books were very, very popular). They also participated in the summer reading programs at the library (they especially loved the prizes), and we had tons of books around the house. I have always loved reading and can’t imagine a day going by when I don’t read for at least a little while, it’s my favorite thing to do before going to sleep at night. Right now I’m reading Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, I have a feeling I’m going to be finishing it very quickly as it is an outstanding book. Funnily enough, it was the answer to a Jeopardy clue the other day!