Hi Reader,

I hope your week is off to a gentle start — whatever that may look like to you here in the middle of summer!

I don't know about you, but I'm sometimes overwhelmed with the fast pace of summer. With morning birds singing their songs at early hours of the day and the heat of the day advancing quickly, there's a kind of motivation to get moving, get going — go, go, go! Weed the garden, before it gets too hot. Keep going 'til the sun goes down — which we know happens much later now.

While so many relish the long, busy days of this short season, I sometimes struggle to adapt to the natural rhythm of summer. I often find myself rushing through summer days, driven to be productive at every moment and make the most of every minute. I neglect to make time to pause, reflect, or just "be."

And then I had a breakthrough the other week. My husband, Chris, called me over to where he was standing at our bay window. It was dusk, and out in the yard was a raccoon. A small, cute raccoon with patches of brown fur, digging for bugs. We watched the raccoon for what felt like 20 minutes, commenting on how cute he looked bustling about. It's since become a nightly tradition — looking for Oscar (yes, we name all the animals that come through our yard!)

Somehow, this little moment of joy pulled me out of the drive to constantly be moving and doing.

We've since welcomed a mama raccoon and her little one. Every evening, we stand at the window and watch the three raccoons scamper around the yard, pawing the ground for bugs — sometimes joined by Leonard, our resident skunk, who comes back every year. Watching them move about the yard somehow feels like taking a deep breath at the end of the day. I can't quite explain why.

All I know is that I've been inspired to create more pockets of time to step back, pause, and soak in the small gifts that summer brings to our lives.

Gentle Reflection

• How are you feeling about the pace of summer so far?
• Where in your life could you create a small ritual or pause?
• What simple joys in nature have caught your attention this summer?
• What are you especially grateful for in this season — even if it's something simple?

Truly Humbled... and Excited!

In my most recent letter on Friday, I shared with you that a couple of my pieces have been published in two different literary journals. It's truly a dream come true and I'm still a bit in shock. Thank you for the support you've shown me over these last months! I'm humbled and honored...

Although I cannot share the published piece in its entirety, due to copyright laws, I've been given permission to share a part of it on my blog.

I wrote "The Wonder of Peace Amid Waves" in response to my healing journey through grief after pregnancy loss. You can read the first part of the piece here on my blog.

Thank you for your support and encouragement.

May your hearts be open to experience the moments of joy sprinkled throughout your days this week!

With peace and love,

P.S. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly — I'd love to hear from you. Simply reply to this email, and your message will go directly to my inbox.

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