Shine a Different Way
2019: a new year, a new beginning. Some years just flow from the previous year in a seamless way. This year feels like a totally brand new year. Last year did too but for different reasons. We moved to Kenya and I began a job on January 2nd.
2019: something feels transformational and I'm not sure if it's just personal or if the world is about to go through some profound change.
When we begin to change as human beings, do we know we are changing? Or is it only in hindsight we are able to draw conclusions about milestones that impacted us and people who influenced us?
I'm so thankful for my last year. I worked at a boarding school outside of Nairobi with a team of 20 teachers and 275 9th and 10th grade young Kenyan women. There were a number of challenges and there were so many moments where I saw myself doing things out of my comfort zone. But I found the places when I felt most like myself: when I coached teachers, when I mentored students and when I motivated a team in fun/creative ways. Last year, I learned so much about identity, privilege, connection and compassion. I know I changed in many ways both from working at the school and living out here in Kenya.
The one thing I realized though is that I had no time for personal reflection. It was a year of action (thus, no blogs). I know those years. I've had so many in the past. They move fast. Each month is like a day and by the end, you feel whiplash. A year did feel like 5 years because of the intensity of the work, the speed and the need.
2019 is different. I took a creative sabbatical. I made this commitment for the first half of the year to dedicate my time to writing, to playing music, and to working on relationships. I've never had the opportunity to make this kind of career shift/sabbatical, but circumstances have given me this gift, so, um, yes, I'm taking advantage of it all!
My friend shared 'Shine a Different Way' with me before Anay and I left the United States in 2017. I remember the first time I heard it, there was a soul stir in me. Do we intuitively know the impact a song will have on us years before it does?
I listened to it again just a few weeks ago, and no joke, there was this bright sun shining on my face. I felt like life was on pause for these 5 minutes and the message came so clear to me - what if we shine differently this year, bring out parts of ourselves that were hidden for whatever reason, let our light come out in unexpected ways? What if take our frustrations and anger at the larger political contexts or personal contexts we are surrounded by and keep shining, keep loving, keep expanding instead of becoming smaller?
I read an interview after listening to the song and loved Patty Griffin even more. She comes from a family of 7 and grew up in Maine. Her sentiments about writing sad songs resonated with me:
"I don't fight my ability to sing sad songs: it's what I am good at, so I must be built for that. But it's not essential to sing sad songs...you should always give some sugar with the medicine." (The Telegraph, Martin Chilton, 2016).
I don't find this song particularly sad. I find hope in these lyrics and this song. I feel hope in this year. Amazing love to everyone doing all that needs to be done on whatever level you can to spread this hope. Keep shining.
I'm gonna let it be the sun
In more ways than one
Run out of its horizon
I'm gonna let it be the night
For I have had my day
Dancing at the back door
I'm gonna let it hear the prayer
No matter who is there
No matter who is listening
I'm gonna let the dream tell me
What it has been known
The moonlight and the glistening waves
~Patty Griffin
2019: something feels transformational and I'm not sure if it's just personal or if the world is about to go through some profound change.
When we begin to change as human beings, do we know we are changing? Or is it only in hindsight we are able to draw conclusions about milestones that impacted us and people who influenced us?
I'm so thankful for my last year. I worked at a boarding school outside of Nairobi with a team of 20 teachers and 275 9th and 10th grade young Kenyan women. There were a number of challenges and there were so many moments where I saw myself doing things out of my comfort zone. But I found the places when I felt most like myself: when I coached teachers, when I mentored students and when I motivated a team in fun/creative ways. Last year, I learned so much about identity, privilege, connection and compassion. I know I changed in many ways both from working at the school and living out here in Kenya.
The one thing I realized though is that I had no time for personal reflection. It was a year of action (thus, no blogs). I know those years. I've had so many in the past. They move fast. Each month is like a day and by the end, you feel whiplash. A year did feel like 5 years because of the intensity of the work, the speed and the need.
2019 is different. I took a creative sabbatical. I made this commitment for the first half of the year to dedicate my time to writing, to playing music, and to working on relationships. I've never had the opportunity to make this kind of career shift/sabbatical, but circumstances have given me this gift, so, um, yes, I'm taking advantage of it all!
My friend shared 'Shine a Different Way' with me before Anay and I left the United States in 2017. I remember the first time I heard it, there was a soul stir in me. Do we intuitively know the impact a song will have on us years before it does?
I listened to it again just a few weeks ago, and no joke, there was this bright sun shining on my face. I felt like life was on pause for these 5 minutes and the message came so clear to me - what if we shine differently this year, bring out parts of ourselves that were hidden for whatever reason, let our light come out in unexpected ways? What if take our frustrations and anger at the larger political contexts or personal contexts we are surrounded by and keep shining, keep loving, keep expanding instead of becoming smaller?
I read an interview after listening to the song and loved Patty Griffin even more. She comes from a family of 7 and grew up in Maine. Her sentiments about writing sad songs resonated with me:
"I don't fight my ability to sing sad songs: it's what I am good at, so I must be built for that. But it's not essential to sing sad songs...you should always give some sugar with the medicine." (The Telegraph, Martin Chilton, 2016).
I don't find this song particularly sad. I find hope in these lyrics and this song. I feel hope in this year. Amazing love to everyone doing all that needs to be done on whatever level you can to spread this hope. Keep shining.
I'm gonna let it be the sun
In more ways than one
Run out of its horizon
I'm gonna let it be the night
For I have had my day
Dancing at the back door
I'm gonna let it hear the prayer
No matter who is there
No matter who is listening
I'm gonna let the dream tell me
What it has been known
The moonlight and the glistening waves
~Patty Griffin
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