Writing Community

I’m Back. Cross-Pollinating Again in Our Illumination Tribe

When we start giving, receiving will follow. Therefore, we cross-pollinate. We give our writers a podium to shine. To become better writers.

Don’t worry, my Illumination-friends, I’ve not forgotten my resolution. I will cross-pollinate for a while longer. Hopefully every week. Sometimes with a bit more space in between.

Like now.

A lot is happening in my life. I sometimes write about it. And sometimes I just cannot find the words.

But this is an attempt.

Illumination is definitely a warm tribe in times like these. Several of the writers are there for me when my soul needs soothing. Their words help. A little at least.

And Dr Mehmet Yildiz is a true father of our tribe. He noticed that I had been silent for a while and reached out to me. It touches me, Mehmet. Thanks for caring!

Luckily, my curiosity always wins it in the end from sadness. So I get out there again. Reading, clapping, and commenting. And I find gems of writing inside and outside of our tribe. For example, because Illumination friends like Selma point me there.

This is what I found. A beautiful, soothing story by Andy. He takes me to Romania. To his grandparents’ farm. Where “invisibility was comfort”. Thanks, Andy, it helped.

Then I read another of his stories.

And I told him: “Never regret to be bold.”

I meant it. In Illumination we cherish boldness. Daring. You will always encounter people who misunderstand. Who are not mindful enough to give you a friendly signal. And instead, step on your heart. It’s the stuff beautiful songs are made of. And poems.

Cherish all moments. Even the painful ones.

So I’m mighty glad Andy had the guts to create with his embarrassment.

The result is beautiful…

And then there are a few writers in our tribe who write beautifully about a topic close to my heart. Minimalism.

By now, many of you will know that my motto is:

“Let’s restore ecosystems and learn together how to live within the boundaries of our planet”

Less consumerism, living with less stuff will be a large step in our human transition. A step we can all take. And if you read this story by Kathryn A. LeRoy, Ph.D. you will see that it doesn’t mean we will be poorer.

It’s not about less stuff. It’s about making conscious choices. Thank you for making it so clear, Kathryn. I think minimalism is the wrong word anyway. We should have called it ‘abundanism’.

Because life becomes so abundant when you have taken your first steps on this path. It’ll flow in beautiful directions. At least, that’s been the case for me personally.

Trista Ainsworth, a professional organizer at Joyful Minimalism, writes good stories about it too. She asks us to fall in love with our homes again. And she takes us on journeys. Thanks, Trista. It’s so important that people like you show us that it’s possible.

But these positive stories I read do not prevent the fact that I’ve become very angry lately.

Picture me in the eye of the storm. Calm. Observant. Looking for and sometimes finding systemic solutions to the problems of our times.

It’s kind of easy for me to look beyond the storm. Towards the place where we have created a more beautiful world. With economies that matter. Economies based on concrete, natural values.

Where other values besides money are important. Clean air, clean drinking water, healthy soil. Where we will shop for beautiful, useful, and durable products and do not crave cheap plastic stuff that lasts just one week.

Where our businesses will make these products. Where architects will build houses with materials that clean the air, instead of polluting it. Where designers create fully biodegradable products that last until they are not needed anymore. And then become food for our soils.

Well, you get the gist.

And then I am put with both feet on the ground again. How can we ever get through the storm into this more beautiful world when everyone just accepts the extreme speculation going on in our current economy?

When our taxpayers' money is going to kerosine NOT being used? On the pretext that we have to save jobs. How can these be the jobs we want? We should preserve?

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? How to get through this vicious storm? Navigate the stormy waters of reality? Get people to think long term visions instead of making stupid short term decisions driven by money?

Please, let me know in the comments. I think best in collaboration with others… And I value all of your opinions…

I’m a big advocate of non-expert, well-considered opinions because they get us out of our ivory towers. Show us the complete picture.

The storm is a difficult place to navigate and we will need all our thinking power and intuition to fare through safely.

Maybe you cannot follow how my mind jumps when I say this. But this article by Linda Caroll struck a strong note with me, thinking about economy and money.

She says: “Attention is a currency”. And it’s true. It has more value than money. For me, it ties in with this piece by Lucien Lecarme.

He asks us to be compassionate and gives us an example of writing on social media. Being righteous. Wanting to voice your opinion and be heard.

And don’t think I wasn’t there. I was. I was a real ms-know-it-all. And sometimes I still am. But at least now I realize when it happens and try to make amends…

I try to practice mindful writing now, mindful social media action. And I hope you will too. Attention is a currency and we should spend and ask for it wisely. The world will not be a better place with more random words in it.

So let’s be mindful writers, here at Illumination. Not just filling space with whatever comes to our minds. But contributing to the universe’s space with well-written, well-considered stories. Sometimes every day. Sometimes not.

I know we can do that, my friends. I see so many good stories out there. And we can do even better! Let’s be bold, let’s be mindful…

This week I read stories of Michele Thill, Bob Jasper, Rasheed Hooda, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Caroline Figueroa, @Marina T Alamanou PhD, Rosennab, Brian E. Wish, PhD, Helen Cassidy Page, Kathryn A. LeRoy, Ph.D., Roz Warren, Kristi Keller, Daniel Clark, Joe Luca, Kathy Lum, Saloni Joshi, Dean Middleburgh, Arthur G. Hernandez, Robert Nelson, Jessica Cote, Kay T., conny manero, ICO, Aurora Eliam, CMP, pinkleather, Rashed Qureshi, Kira Dawn, Nathan White, Volo Vash, Holly Jahangiri, Melinda Van Fleet, and many others.

Happy writing!

And if you want to connect, you can find me on LinkedIn or Facebook. Or somewhere in nature considering my own mindfulness. Telling myself I don’t have to be perfect. Laughing out loud!

Further reading

About the author

About her work for GAIA