What I would give to begin again, to feel that freshness of skin, still soft and penetrable to the clean air, the lightness of living as a seed, silken petals and possibilty. But since I cannot flower, I shall rise instead and spread my shade over them, I will bury my roots under them and strangle the weeds that threaten them. Under me they shall bloom. I am an oak tree.
A memento in my journal of how I feel this week... For some time now, I've been a bit in hiding, from the wider world but mostly from myself. I haven't known how to be myself very easily or where I fit really and haven't felt I've done a good job of things. And suddenly, in the middle of the desert, I found a whole tribe of other souls like me. The bittersweetness of leaving it behind is only eclipsed by the knowledge that I now have so many new kindred spirits dotted around the world. It is terrifying but soul-swellingly enriching to truly 'come as you are' to something, but the risk is truly worth the reward. I only wish I'd understood that sooner and I wish that this kind of connection was a feature of life for us all. How much more whole and peaceful our beautiful world would be 💫 #ppc2018
💫Look up at the stars and not down at your feet💫
A year ago, I took up Brooke Shaden's 15 day art challenge and came up with a picture book idea about a wee girl looking up at the stars and the vast universe, drawing her in a wee rocket. I called her Darcy Daydream. A year later, I have just left a life-changing week of gazing up at the stars in the desert at Joshua Tree in California, where I've been one of the invited speakers at Brooke's Promoting Passion Convention, a gathering of passionate creatives from all over the world. I *almost* let low confidence stop me from accepting but didn't and, because I felt the fear and went ahead anyway, I got the chance to make lifelong friendships, connect on a deep level and feel valued beyond my wildest dreams. Just as we were walking into the closing ceremony, a light filled the sky as a Tesla Spacex rocket took off above our heads, and the feeling of synchronisity made me feel like everything will be well and that something mysterious has occured. So deeply grateful for the whole wonderful experience. (Photo by participant Anton Vayvod)
This is a single mum from Dundee
Williamina Fleming, born in Dundee in 1857 and raised near the Nethergate, emigrated to the US where she was promptly abandoned by her husband while pregnant. Raised her son alone and worked as a maid at Harvard College before being invited to join the astronomy team.
During her career, she discovered 10 novae, 59 gaseous nebulae, and more than 300 variable stars, plus the iconic Horsehead Nebula in Orion. She also recognized the existence of hot, Earth-sized stars later dubbed white dwarfs, according to Harvard University.
She was made an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society of London in 1906 and was presented with a medal by the Astronomical Society of Mexico shortly before her death in 1911 in light of her discovery of new stars. (excepts from The Scotsman). She also fought for equal pay.
Moral of the story, be mightily careful how you label people!
#Dundee #DundeeWomen #CityofDiscovery
