Notre Maailma

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Wander Often, Wonder Always

Photos captured by my hubby, Éric Jean Sage, of the sunset on Pihlajasaari (a lovely island 20minutes off the coast of Ruohalati in Helsinki) on Juhaanus- the midsummer night holiday here in Finland!

When was the last time you got lost? When you wandered and meandered just to wander and meander? No set destination, no checking the clock, no hurry or urgency to be anywhere but where you are just now?

“Wander often. Wonder always.” This is the wisdom of a simple sticker that adorns my sunrise coloured, 1.5 liter water bottle.

And I am. Not everyday. There are of course commitments and work and chores that need be met and checked off and completed. But whenever I can, I am giving myself leave to wander….to let myself go off track.

To lose myself in the place our little family is living and growing in. Fortunately, it is a remarkably safe, nature abundant place.

So here I am, having jumped on the first tram I saw and taken it to the end of the line….landing in a charming park along the seaside on the outskirts of Helsinki. Sitting beneath the shade of three friendly trees, staring at the shimmering rays of sunshine dancing on the back of the Baltic Sea.

Awe.

Pure awe.

It is powerful. To permit and open yourself to be awestruck. By the tiny and by the grand miracles within you and around you.

Inhaling the sound and scent of the sea, I cannot help but feel small, and humble.

In awe of how the strong breeze and violet & red blossoms before me and the dainty birds singing & seagulls screeching above me so effortlessly elicit this sense of potential and grandeur and warmth.

There is so much suffering and cruelty and divisiveness and tragedy in our world that it can be challenging to tune into the intimate caress of the wind and the flawless faces of nature, in all Her glory.

Yes, we absolutely must recognise the injustice and loss in our world—so that we can fight for justice and prosperity for all….but not at the cost of ignoring and silencing all of the kindness and humanity in our world.

Witness the suffering and fight for humanity, whilst also witnessing the goodness and embracing the love of your neighbour.

Give yourself permission to be awestruck.

Be in Awe.

Every precious day you have the privilege of being alive.

Be Yourself, Your Phenomenal Self

Be yourself. Rather cliché, but a powerful thing indeed. And a thing which can be surprisingly challenging for many of us. In our lifelong journey of self-discovery and growth, we often struggle to fully embrace and honour all that we are…to let yourself be you. And to be proud and confident in that self.

Be yourself.

Yes, that’s it. Be you.

Not your polished colleague. Not your remarkably athletic friend. Not your smiling neighbour. Not that exceptional leader or that brilliant scientist or that gorgeous model.

Learn from them-yes. Be challenged by them-yes. Be inspired through them- yes.

But through this all– be yourself.

It is perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give to the world, and to ourselves.

Be all that you are….be you. Because you are phenomenal.

Yes, phenomenal. This particular adjective is not my word, but the word of the uplifting and impactful Maya Angelou in a poem she wrote that I recite in my heart often.

Phenomenal Woman

BY MAYA ANGELOU

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Of course this phenomenal nature of a woman applies to all humans–of all ages and creeds and professions and ways of loving and being in this world.

So again, be you.

Be your phenomenal self.

Because that is just who you are.

by FDR Sage

Mental Health Awareness Month: How can you help?

There is no one or simple answer. Why not?

Because mental disease (yes disease) is NOT a decision. It is complex and multifaceted and colorful in a confusing and overwhelming way.

What is depression? What is bipolar disorder? What does it mean and how does it feel to love someone with mental illness?

I do not have a quick response to these important questions.

Instead I have created a podcast speaking to my lived experience with bipolar II disorder and I am in the process of writing my first book about this intense journey that started over 15 years ago….so if you feel like listening in, listen.

It’s called Notre Maailma. On anchor, Spotify and a medley of others.

No rush. no pressure. Respect what you need and want in this moment.

As the wise Lao Tzu states, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

Take your time. Do you. Take care of yourself.

Be kinder to yourself and be kinder to your neighbour.

Please.

And thank you 🙂

Perspective

Perspective. Quite important. Understandably so. Yet difficult to integrate….especially in moments of high stress or fear.

This is a journal entry I wrote on June 9th 2010 at 5:17am. My 19 year old self mused about crying and pressure we put on ourselves and the triviality and unimportance of grades in the long run…my Abuelita’s 91st birthday was yesterday. We had a lovely celebration of the strong and powerful woman that she is. And my Mama Bear sent me a provocative, nice post reminding me that la vida es una: “You cannot give your life more time, so give the time you have more life.” We only have one of these lives–so how beautiful to share and fall and grow and revel in her beauty together.

“Why am I crying? Why!! Is it because I am blessed enough to have an education that demands my absolute best? Is it because I am a devout perfectionist who cannot just write a dam conclusion? Is it because I feel terribly guilty about the fact that I am stressing over things that won’t really matter years from now?

All I have to do is study. Write fluidly. Psycho-analyze. Be insightful/ I do not have to walk 10km for water. I do not have to worry about going to sleep hungry. Truly hungry. I do not have a terminal illness. the people I love are here, alive. Alive.

You know crying actually feels sort of good–in an odd way. It’s a way of releasing the unfounded stress that so overwhelms me.

Perspective. PERSPECTIVE. Why is it so hard to wholly and sincerely put life into perspective?

198/200

200/200

Those are the scores of my last two English essays. And right now I am feeling like there is no way in hell that this, my final essay, will. be able to live up to that. That doesn’t even matter.

Perspective.”

Me in Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska in September 2016

Be kinder to yourself and Be kinder to your neighbour

**Backcountry camping & hiking in Denali National Park, Alaska**

I suffer from bipolar disorder. This month is mental health awareness month so it feels like an especially timely moment to gently open the curtain and allow warm rays of light to stream into the overwhelming and often frightening darkness that is depression and overdrive.

I shan’t dive into the details of living with this disease right this moment.

Instead, I shall invite you to be kinder. To be a bit more compassionate. To remember that you never know what someone is going through. And to remember that you are never alone. You are not alone.

Whether you suffer from a mental illness or not, whether you love someone who battles with a mood disorder or not—we could all do with being kinder towards ourselves and towards our neighbours.

As father Aesop so wisely declared — no act of kindness is too small

No act of kindness is too small

So why not?

Pourquoi pas?

Be kind.

Now.

Ahora.

To you and to me.

To your lover and to your stranger

To your beggar and to your leader

To your angel and to your fiend

To that succulent sitting patiently in the corner

To the seeing eye observing the world from within your core

To the sounds of his broken voice.

To the chatter and harmonious collaboration of the birds.

To who you are and to who I am becoming.

To the otter playfully flipping her body.

To the alert grizzly protecting her cubs.

To the human who just spewed out hateful words.

To the human who inspired us with his dream.

To the sunshine and to the darkness.

To the overdrive and to the crapper.

To the way she moves in the world.

To the way we hold each others hands.

Be kind.

Be kinder.

To yourself, and to your neighbour

Be kinder.

Sunset in Algodones Dunes, Southeastern California

Be Where You Are

Meggie & Éric Backcountry Camping in **Denali National Park, Alaska**

And be grateful.

Be grateful.

You awoke this morning.

Your soul remained in your beautiful body.

Your mind slowly came to her senses, and invited you into the day.

Your heart worked selflessly and tirelessly the whole night through.

Pah poom. Pah poom. Pah poom.

You awoke.

And that, my love, is a miracle.

You.

We.

All.

Have.

ONE.

Precious.

Life.

Shall we cherish it?

Shall we love ourselves?

Shall we love our neighbour?

Shall we be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people?

Oui. oui. Si. absolument. Kylla. Yes.

Yes.

Let us cherish and nourish and grow and fall and rise together.

Together.

Now.

Mañana.

And always.

You are my brother.

You are my sister.

And together we can and will be better.

Let us be better.

Let us be kind.

Every single day.

That we have the privilege and blessing of waking.

BE KIND.

Be kind.

To your beautiful self.

And to your beautiful neighbour.

Be kind.

~Meggie Marie Sage

Thought Provoking Quizzes from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center

The Power of Building Bridges

“We humans have a deeply rooted tendency to organize ourselves into groups: You’re either one of Us or part of Them. But research suggests those categories are not fixed. We can expand our sense of Us and see Them in a new light.

Bridging those differences often requires a mix of intention, the right social conditions, and specific skills, but studies show that it is possible—and that doing so will enrich our lives and communities.

How open are you to connecting with different kinds of people? How skilled are you at expanding your social circle beyond people who seem most like you? How comfortable are you with disagreement with people whose views differ from your own?

This quiz will help you answer those questions. It is based on several scientifically validated scales: the “Tolerance for Disagreement Scale” developed by Jason J. Teven and his colleagues, and the “Bridging Social Capital Questionnaire,” developed by Ester Villalonga-Olives and her colleagues.”

How Well Do You Bridge Differences?

The Beauty of Being Awestruck

“The scientific study of awe is relatively new; the Greater Good Science Center’s director, Dacher Keltner, has been one of its pioneers. Already studies have linked it to better health and increased generosity, and researchers are zeroing in on how to cultivate more of it in our everyday lives.

But how much awe do you experience in your life?

This quiz will help you find out. It includes items from three scientifically validated scales, along with some new items created for this quiz by Greater Good Science Center staff and members of Dr. Keltner’s Berkeley Social Interaction Laboratory.”

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/awe/refresh

The Miracle of Connection to Humanity

“Some people feel a strong sense of kinship with all members of humankind, no matter what differences or distances might exist between them; others have a tendency to keep those feelings closer to home.

The quiz below assesses how deeply you identify with all of humanity, independent of your identification with your country or community. It is a simplified, adapted version of a scale recently developed by Sam McFarland, Matthew Webb, and Derek Brown, psychologists at Western Kentucky University.”

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/connection_to_humanity