Offerings to the World, Big and Small

As you may have gathered, I've kind of been having a rough go of things lately. A lot's been going on –– at home, at work, with my entire sense of self (for all sorts of reasons). I felt like I needed a reset today, and I thankfully had some time for one after dinner.

I recently scored a cute little set of oracle decks based on the Wheel of the Year, one for each of the seasonal sabbats, so I took a moment after dinner to go through them all. And since we just had Litha and are now officially moving toward Lammas, I spent a little extra time with the Lammas deck.

I also decided to pull a card (Community Service) and free-blog a bit about whatever it brought to mind. That's how I found myself thinking about some of the ways I've been trying to give back, put more out there, and be more generous lately. 

On the Offerings I've Already Made

I’ve always believed offerings come in many forms. A quietly written blog post. A pinch of salt in a glass of water. A meaningful moment of presence with someone you love. Even saying, “I’m still here,” when the world goes quiet and doesn't necessarily seem like it's listening. That’s an offering, too.

If you know me at all or are even somewhat familiar with my content, then you know what a private person I can be. Yes, I share, but only on my own terms and only in the quiet ways that make sense to me. But I've realized that not all service is loud. Not all community is wide or super-public. That doesn't make it count any less.

Some of the offerings on my mind right now:

• I've been working hard to write for myself more often and actually share what I produce. I've been especially focused on helping people figure things out and reminding them that they're not alone in anything they might be going through.
• I post a lot of my AI-assisted and digital images on social media these days. I'm never going to be the type of artist who likes to spell things out, but I put energy and meaning into everything I make regardless.
• I've been holding space for others when I can, especially for the people who mean the most. People like Seth. And people like me.
• I don't talk a ton about spirituality here, but I've been exploring all sorts of ways to connect with the universe more. I've also been communing with and adding to my spirit team, one set of feathery (or leathery) wings at a time.

Some of my offerings have been very public. Others, not so much. Quite a few have occupied some liminal space between the two. That will probably continue for quite some time to come.

Shifting My Attention Toward Lammas

Lammas (August 1st) is the first harvest, and with it comes a question. What do you have to give? Not in the way the world usually asks, and not measured in productivity or performance, either. It can be something as simple as the truth of what’s currently ripening in you, and whether you’re willing to share a slice or two.

Right now, I'm revisiting and revising some of the things I believe about myself. I'm asking myself why that label or this mindset. I'm taking long, hard looks at difficult truths that have been right in front of me my whole life and sitting with what I find. 

I'm already sharing little slices of some of these truths –– trying them out to see how they feel and how well they fit. I've also decided to start therapy after Friday's panic attack, so I have my first appointment with the first therapist I'll be vetting tomorrow afternoon. I'm nervous but excited, too.

Continuing to Explore the Concept of Community

I've been introverted my entire life. I'm a loner, and that's the way I like it. I am extremely selective as far as who I allow to get close to me, and it takes me a long time to get there with anyone in particular. And I've been away from my public writing life for a while, so there aren't exactly crowds waiting outside the gates for their next chance to connect with me right now.

But maybe that's perfect. It gives me a chance to keep growing some of these projects into creative trees that may actually bear fruit one day, without people paying too much attention when I fumble the ball. 

So, this season, I want to keep offering what I can. A story here. A card pull there. A moment of softness when I’m tempted to retreat. Some of it will be public. Some of it will be secret. All of it will be sacred.