Out From Under

[The Stage is on Fire] is a page-turner in which, much like life, there are no easy answers and yet each step of the journey yields insight and hope. This work of heart must not be missed!

Melanie Faith

Creative Writing Teacher, Essayist & Poet.

Katie Steedly’s first-person piece [The Unspeakable Gift] is a riveting retelling of her participation in a National Institutes of Health study that aided her quest to come to grips with her life of living with a rare genetic disorder. Her writing is superb.

The Society of Professional Journalists

In recognition of receiving the Dateline Award for the Washingtonian Magazine essay, The Unspeakable Gift.

I thank you … It is the authenticity of your “class notes”; and it is the delicacy and skill with which you present the nuances of classroom life and the actuality of your students’ and fellow teachers’ lives.

Maxine Greene

Philosopher and Education Scholar

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All the darkness! I’m going to walk into the light! – Job

Walking into the Light. Walking out from under.

Every day we face a choice. To walk into the light. To walk out from under. I am not always the best at making good choices. That split second in the morning when the day can go one way or the other. The afternoon energy spiral that sucks my will. The evening desire to disconnect in ways that aren’t necessarily light.

The struggle is real. The roads diverge.

I generally seek light. There are distinct roads in life – one that is light and one that is dark. The choice is clear. There are times when I am joyful, content, humming, full, and focused. There are times when I am triggered, hurried, hungry, distracted, angry, frazzled, and/or lonely.

Choosing the light and above road.

I have learned that choosing the light and above road requires a few things. The light and above road asks that we take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Treat our bodies well. Do things that bring us joy. Surround ourselves with love and connection. The light and above road asks us to set meaningful goals, show up, and serve others in some way. That is the light and high road.

Living light and above.

It feels good to live light and above. Feeling through can be light in above when we grow and learn. Pain can be light in above when we are reminded of our strength and wisdom. Failure can be light in above when creativity and resolve are born. Sadness can be light and above when we invite others in and realize that we are connected to our very cores by our wounds. Living light and above is surprising. It is about being awake. It is about being in the flow. It is about finding humor where humor is to be found and compassion where compassion is to be found. That is living light and above.

https://kitt.global/july-24-out-from-under-mark-nepo-the-book-of-awakening/