In the quiet week
E14: Rest & Recap 2 - Taking a break to gather ourselves
Dear Tilters
I received many positive comments on our collective need to pause after publishing edition seven, my first integration week edition.
Some talked about recuperating. Others about consolidating what they have already learned. More still did a double-take on the need to switch OFF.
We are now at edition fourteen. And that invites me to try it again.
An invitation to pause, ponder and reflect.
These past six weeks certainly went off on a different tangent. Gratitude, climate, exploration and recovery! Many of you are now aware that my beautiful mother had to undergo a radical mastectomy in November. It’s been a challenge to help make medical decisions from afar and then wait patiently into the night to hear the results. She is well supported by my siblings and our extended family. She still has some ways to go as she starts radiotherapy after Christmas. I know this is a very personal share. But then again, we are now 64 Tilters in this community and I recognize each of you. Many of you have already been holding her in your private thoughts and prayers. Thank you for that. Thank you for continuing to inquire about her health. Each of our family has been humbled by the scale of this invisible net of caring that knits our humanity together. And that gives me hope for our collective future.
All that to say writing this newsletter provided a welcome distraction for me during this challenging time.
“Butt in seat. Hands on keyboard.”
It is the mantra hanging above my desk. It was given by a friend when I asked her how she keeps her steady rhythm of writing. With the rat-a-tat of the keyboard, it is this discipline that allows me to do something useful with my hands and mind, beyond just worrying about Mum.
Thank you for asking questions that matter: “How do these essays help to tilt the future?” “Why every seventh edition?” “Why so long? Shorter is better.”
Recovery and gratitude are shown to have a tremendous impact on resilience, a key 21st-century skill for our children, and for ourselves. We are the models for the skills we want them to absorb. Resilience is most sought after in moments of transition. And we cannot deny that we are all feeling that characteristic uncertainty whether we are discussing Covid-19, climate or the transition to a new way of life and work.
Every seventh edition was sparked by a comment from Lisa Orlick about the Jewish tradition of shmita - the sabbatical year. It is a time of recuperation as the land lies fallow. We can use this as a metaphor: a reminder to step off the hamster wheel, to alter our perspective for a moment and consider how far we have come, where we want to go, and our place in the world. An opportunity to integrate and consolidate. “Why not play with this idea and test it?” I wondered.
With shrinking screens and attention spans, shorter articles are better. But there will be links to longer reads in future newsletters. Particularly on topics like climate and life-work balance that require us to push at the boundaries of our boxes.
I look forward to your thoughts and comments. Thank you for sharing these moments with me. It means a lot. See you again next week.
Karena
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📖 IN THE QUIET WEEK
Here is a digest of the most recent essays:
Mrs. Keisman’s vermouth turkey - about opening our homes and ourselves to embrace others. Filled with gratitude and great memories, it seems to have struck a resonant chord with so many in our community.
Tell me more about Recovery Mode - How can we move beyond Data Hoarding to Wisdom Gathering?
Is this the biggest marshmallow test of all? - Is there a role for delayed gratification in the climate conversation?
A Tip - “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”
Adele and SpotifyWrapped - The secret life of Karena unravelled through AI.
Painting or photo? - What do we see when we slow down to stay in the moment?
Which was your favourite? What was most insightful? What connection did your mind make between the essays?
And the most important question:
Have you found yourself putting some of the concepts or ideas into action?
Pause. Ponder. Reflect.
Make. Take. Talk.
Please share your thoughts in the comments.
First time here?
Holding you and your family in my heart Karena. I can only imagine how difficult it is to be separated by so many miles when your mum is dealing with serious health issues.