Wow, what have I just stumbled upon? This is so beautifully written. I enjoyed how you added splashes of humor in with the deep. These lines really resonated: "I remind myself that the work is not to abandon. The work is to remain. To be present and to witness what is brutal. To bring forward the beautiful all and while you can." 💛
Jane - I have only come to your work fairly recently, as I take baby steps along the journey that chronologically is very young, and which feels to me that you and the people here have been on for a long time, but I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, not for cracking me open, for that hasn’t happened, but for opening a tiny crack through which light is shining. It is a glimmering, an embryo of growth, expansion, of opportunity, of change - things that have not been there in my life so far, but which, with yours and Interwoven’s and all these marvellous people here’s help, are starting to show. A true and profound glimmering🙏
What a gorgeous and thought-provoking piece of writing, Jane. I felt it in my body... your words enabling me to shapeshift too. There's so much value in these words: advocacy, being seen by our children, frustrations, glimmers, bearing witness and so much beauty. Loved it x
Utterly blown away by this one. For someone to be able to turn their most personal, intimate vulnerabilities into poetic prose leaves me staggered. Stunned. GRATEFUL.
From a complete outsider's perspective, I can't help but wonder what mysterious, wondrous alchemy occurred at that first Warrick Summit, and then your exposure and co-creating with Rupert, that somehow gave this, obviously, already-ever-present side of you the courage and confidence to finally bravely expose itself so publically. The chronology I see as an outsider could be, and no doubt is, complete rubbish. My own filters may be projecting here, but I find it fascinating whenever I think I detect how connecting with other people can be life-impacting inspirational rather than the usual life-impacting draining. Whatever the evolution though, BRAVO Jane. What a gift you have and are.
Oh, thank you Corey. What a collection of lovely things to say! I’ve always secretly tinkered with words- life has been too full of “instructional writing” in the last decade to have much time for anything else. But the last couple of years, nature writing has for me become such a lifeline- and now, given half a chance, it’s all I’d like to do! And being in situations and circumstances and with people where I am speaking of the importance of taking your creative life seriously- I thought I best start doing the same myself!
For me, my writing is a way I hope to contribute to the world and its protection. I have plans, it whatever small and tiny way they come to life 💛
"When the edges of my looking begin to blur, I feel that to be the point I start to see." I love this. Seeing, is really, feeling. Perhaps we don't even need our eyes.
I'm glad to have stumbled across this beautiful essay, thank you!
Beautiful, Jane!! Were it not for the feelings you had about and for this frog, this post may never have existed and our human selves would be a little less, for having not been able to read it. I, for one, am grateful that you do remain and do the work, that you sit with your feelings. For this. To model for your kids and the whole world how to be a little more human. Thank you!! XO
Thank you Mary- thank you for reading ❤️ as a fellow horsey girl I just subscribed to your Substack! We can talk of frogs AND horses. What could be better?! X
Everything about this Jane is brillant. It is so deep and yet, is also centred in our everyday lives. I loved the original frog story, the frog's reaction to kissing us, the sitting in the cafe being sad about frogs, the idea of shape shifting into a frog. It all weaves together so perfectly.
Oh this is so glorious and I am truly grateful to have found you here, Huntress of the Glimmering! There is such a lyrical weaving way you have between the everyday and the mythical, between enchantment and all that would rip us from it. So real yet life-affirming. Maybe you must give the froggie talks at the museum, and leave the people speechless in wonder! Many thanks ~Enchantress Remmebering aka Amanda 🙏🏼🐸
Thank you for your glorious words ✨So lovely to meet you here as well! Always a delight to meet fellow seekers of enchantment (and I did have to restrain myself from grabbing the mic at the museum 😆🐸)… thank you!
Growing as a child in southern Manitoba, Canada, it was the leopard frog that imprinted me with curiosity, I feel. Her silence.....her knowing...her watchfulness. I became a watcher too, a whisperer and to this day I find comfort in silence. Long live the frogs and keep them wild. Thank you Jane, for sharing your heart's work.
Wow, what have I just stumbled upon? This is so beautifully written. I enjoyed how you added splashes of humor in with the deep. These lines really resonated: "I remind myself that the work is not to abandon. The work is to remain. To be present and to witness what is brutal. To bring forward the beautiful all and while you can." 💛
You have made my day Jenn- thank you! So grateful for your lovely words and taking the time to read this xx
Jane - I have only come to your work fairly recently, as I take baby steps along the journey that chronologically is very young, and which feels to me that you and the people here have been on for a long time, but I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, not for cracking me open, for that hasn’t happened, but for opening a tiny crack through which light is shining. It is a glimmering, an embryo of growth, expansion, of opportunity, of change - things that have not been there in my life so far, but which, with yours and Interwoven’s and all these marvellous people here’s help, are starting to show. A true and profound glimmering🙏
Jane, thank YOU. We are definitely all in this together ❤️ The honour is mine. We are here for tiny cracks and glimmerings xx
What a gorgeous and thought-provoking piece of writing, Jane. I felt it in my body... your words enabling me to shapeshift too. There's so much value in these words: advocacy, being seen by our children, frustrations, glimmers, bearing witness and so much beauty. Loved it x
Kelly, thank you so much 🙏 that really means a lot xx
Utterly blown away by this one. For someone to be able to turn their most personal, intimate vulnerabilities into poetic prose leaves me staggered. Stunned. GRATEFUL.
From a complete outsider's perspective, I can't help but wonder what mysterious, wondrous alchemy occurred at that first Warrick Summit, and then your exposure and co-creating with Rupert, that somehow gave this, obviously, already-ever-present side of you the courage and confidence to finally bravely expose itself so publically. The chronology I see as an outsider could be, and no doubt is, complete rubbish. My own filters may be projecting here, but I find it fascinating whenever I think I detect how connecting with other people can be life-impacting inspirational rather than the usual life-impacting draining. Whatever the evolution though, BRAVO Jane. What a gift you have and are.
Oh, thank you Corey. What a collection of lovely things to say! I’ve always secretly tinkered with words- life has been too full of “instructional writing” in the last decade to have much time for anything else. But the last couple of years, nature writing has for me become such a lifeline- and now, given half a chance, it’s all I’d like to do! And being in situations and circumstances and with people where I am speaking of the importance of taking your creative life seriously- I thought I best start doing the same myself!
For me, my writing is a way I hope to contribute to the world and its protection. I have plans, it whatever small and tiny way they come to life 💛
This is beautiful to listen to, specially because I’m by a little village in France, sitting next to the river with my sketchbook.
thanks for sharing 🌼
Well, that all sounds heavenly. Thank you so much for taking me along xx
"When the edges of my looking begin to blur, I feel that to be the point I start to see." I love this. Seeing, is really, feeling. Perhaps we don't even need our eyes.
I'm glad to have stumbled across this beautiful essay, thank you!
Thank you so much for reading Kaitlyn ❤️ I just discovered your comment and am so appreciative of you taking the time xx
Beautiful, Jane!! Were it not for the feelings you had about and for this frog, this post may never have existed and our human selves would be a little less, for having not been able to read it. I, for one, am grateful that you do remain and do the work, that you sit with your feelings. For this. To model for your kids and the whole world how to be a little more human. Thank you!! XO
Thank you Danielle- that is so lovely of you to say xx
This is so gorgeous, I almost feel intimidated to comment because my writing can't compete with this magic. Thank you for sharing.
Well, I think your writing IS magic. And thank you for your lovely words, I really do appreciate them and you xx
Are you a hugger? Can we just have a quick hug now? Really appreciate you too and glad we get to spend the next year together!
I am an enthusiastic hugger!! 🤗❤️ and yay! Me too! X
Excellent me too!
I love this. I often find myself writing about frogs so this was a treat that I need to consume again slowly :)
Thank you lovely, that makes me so happy to hear. I will be seeking out your frog writing, amongst the rest of your fabulousness xx
Very powerful. Made my heart ache
Thank you lovely friend xx the aching hearts can be a lot to hold
*as in our own. I think sharing our aching hearts as a collective makes it easier. Possibly even beautiful xx
This is so beautifully written, so tender and strong, and so exact. I'm sad about the frogs too. I am amazed at this beautiful writing.
Thank you Mary- thank you for reading ❤️ as a fellow horsey girl I just subscribed to your Substack! We can talk of frogs AND horses. What could be better?! X
Everything about this Jane is brillant. It is so deep and yet, is also centred in our everyday lives. I loved the original frog story, the frog's reaction to kissing us, the sitting in the cafe being sad about frogs, the idea of shape shifting into a frog. It all weaves together so perfectly.
Thank you so much Catriona, you are so lovely. I really appreciate your words xx
This guy is one of my favorite poets atm...I'm not a believer in 'God' as such but every sentiment he writes resonates so deeply.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/XjQ6t8TWKiKkqjmW/?mibextid=xfxF2i
Thank you!! I will absolutely check this out xx
Oh this is so glorious and I am truly grateful to have found you here, Huntress of the Glimmering! There is such a lyrical weaving way you have between the everyday and the mythical, between enchantment and all that would rip us from it. So real yet life-affirming. Maybe you must give the froggie talks at the museum, and leave the people speechless in wonder! Many thanks ~Enchantress Remmebering aka Amanda 🙏🏼🐸
Thank you for your glorious words ✨So lovely to meet you here as well! Always a delight to meet fellow seekers of enchantment (and I did have to restrain myself from grabbing the mic at the museum 😆🐸)… thank you!
The pleasure is mine, truly.
Growing as a child in southern Manitoba, Canada, it was the leopard frog that imprinted me with curiosity, I feel. Her silence.....her knowing...her watchfulness. I became a watcher too, a whisperer and to this day I find comfort in silence. Long live the frogs and keep them wild. Thank you Jane, for sharing your heart's work.
Aren’t they just amazing? I find their (our) world completely entrancing. I will learn more about the Leopard Frogs 🌿 Thank you so much for reading xx
This beautiful Jane. Thank you for introducing me to Aotearoa's frog-life. I had no idea 🐸
Thank you so much for reading! And yes, so much that we don't see here that is amazing ❤️🌿