Karinaland River

  Aysha We all want and need to be seen and heard, this is how we grow. Especially when young, it is beneficial to experience ourselves in the mirror of “beholders” who generously pay good attention. From there we wrestle with the world, small and large, with our self-image, doubts, insecurities, grandiosities, yearnings. To be seen for who we truly are – unique, exquisite, each with a very specific path and purpose. A lifelong endeavor. Elders with self-knowledge become a clearer mirror. Not just applauding – that too – but giving guidance, encouragement, mentorship and friendship across the ages. When we older people are grounded and free to be ourselves, we can hold the pain, confusion, and anger of those newly exploring life within the overwhelming chaos of societal forces. Listening with attentive curiosity, gentle questions. Trust arises. Highlighting what needs focus or space, anchoring. When young, it takes so much courage to discover, test, and share our true self beyond our s

  nicky   Many of you heard me talk about nicky (she/her/they/them pronouns) and also may have read their  posts as a guest   in Karinaland River . Almost seven years ago, in April of 2017, I met them through a friend, me freshly widowed for only six months.  Time to celebrate now . They started to help me once a week with various office tasks, for example archiving my late husband’s sociology notes, or archiving my own theater work. Then nicky started to enjoy helping me with garden work. With many other tasks ( blog  set-up, etc.), occasions like Listening Salons , or celebrations, they are always bringing their sensitive, thoughtful, curious, and supportive energy. We keep discussing our lives and visions as artists, comparing notes, questioning American culture. We laugh and cry. In 2020, once I had done enough research for my concept & design of the Garage Memorial Mural (to bring those murdered by police and the state to be remembered as full individuals with lives, families

    Emma Time to introduce you a bit more to Emma (she/they pronouns). I have mentioned her several times already in Karinaland River . They come once a week to help me in the garden, and with computer questions or blog settings. We also talk, share snacks or a lunch. For almost two years now, I have been witnessing their intelligence, growth and blossoming like a very special flowering tree. Her heart is open, with lots of compassion and caring. They also possess a “feisty” side which I love: pointing out when a situation or interaction has gone wrong, is just not right or fair – kindly and firmly they communicate, and always have of course success with it. Emma has also been taking my T’ai Chi classes in Piedmont, learning the catwalk & alignment, being strong below and flexible above. At 32 years old, Emma will go very far in life, be beloved wherever they go. They are already making important contributions to society, embodying new possibilities and ways that will offer  all of

Here here is the sun with raindrops             glittering jittering   here is the wind thorough and boldly             whipping innocent trees   here are clouds shapeshifting drifting             leisurely hurried misting   here are sneaky sunrays peeking             irrepressibly curious   here is the thundering of glorious gusts             ominous foreboding fading   here are the eerie silences in between             a calm not to be trusted   here is the change unpredictable             from where I am sitting   here are the bolts of lucid lightening             accentuated by rumbling   here are the human follies             all the same   here are unknown possibilities lurking             in perplexing open pauses   waiting for twists and turns, strange reversals             and brave mercy to be known   here is the chaos of hail pounding the roof of our skulls             flooding the double chambers echoing                         with tragic stubborn pain   here are the tanta