P is for Persistence, Perfectionism, and Peace… and so many other things too

July 28 2025—After a really busy couple of weeks hustling (Persistence) to get a few batches of pots glazed and fired for a street fair this past weekend (Perfectionism), preceded by some time at the most beautiful camping spot (Peace), I’m here with lots to reflect on.

First off, what a terrible, horrendous time to be an American, or a human for that matter. Amidst all of the resplendent beauty and creative joy of the weekend, that same familiar guilt that comes with having this privilege was hanging out as well.

My family, friends, and I get to lay in the river, soaking up the rays of warm light as birds gathered in Patterns overhead and water rounded itself around old, old rocks…while, across the globe, an entire group of people is being deprived of access to shelter, food, and human rights. And this country, my country, the one I dutifully pay taxes to, has signed right there on the dotted line to help bankroll this. Alternating waves of gratitude and guilt… I wish there were more space in between them. I’m working on not letting the guilt crowd out the gratitude, but gosh, it sure wants to.

So this is a post about the many things that can all be happening at the same time. We put so much Pressure on ourselves to be content when we’re ‘supposed’ to be, as though we can be reduced down to our experience of one singular thing in one singular moment. It’s just so much more layered than that, especially now that there’s so much information coming at us all the time.

I’d like to invite all of us to honor and accept the many complex emotional experiences that happen simultaneously. This type of Presence brings us closer to knowing ourselves and accepting ourselves fully, in all of our imperfect ways. When we stop fighting ourselves, trying to stifle some emotions in order to move towards others, we open up space for creativity to run through us. Perhaps creativity exists in these corners and edges- in the places where things seem to collide.

P is also for Pottery. Whoa.