And just like that, we are in October. One minute we were entering into a form of hibernation just as nature was emerging from hers; the next minute the leaves are falling to the ground and there is already talk of Christmas. And in the midst of it all there is a presidential election in the United States, the country that has the highest COVID-related death toll in the world with 211,740 deaths (as of October 1st), just shy of a quarter of the global death toll of 1, 018, 793. And rising. But this post isn't about COVID. It isn't about the US Presidential Election. I don't know what this post is about actually. It's turning into a stream of my consciousness, where at the moment, is all over the place.
Like everyone else on this planet, I don't have it all figured out. Like this newsletter, I started off thinking I knew what I wanted to say only to realise I had no clue. But I guess that's the point when it comes to life. It's not about always knowing exactly who we are or where we are meant to be. It is about the process, the journey of trying to figure out the best path forward. Even the seemingly wrong turns are guideposts leading us towards a life that, if we recognise it as such, is interesting. That's what I am constantly striving for: interesting. It's creative living even amidst the realities of roadblocks and writer's block. That's why, when I started The Citrine Room, I felt it was important to include a #Repost page on my website. I am constantly reading, constantly looking for inspiration, clues on how to findmyown way. I do so by learning through the unique experiences of others. #Repost is my desire to share what I find each week with you. So let's get to what I have for you this week:
Camilla Pang is a scientist & writer, exploring the relationship between science and our behaviour. For her, it's a research project into her own life, finding ways to live & thrive in a world that doesn't fully understand autism & Asperger's which she has. Read about how she realised that those "mental health variances" as she calls them, are her superpowers, not disorders.
When Eric Weihenmeyer was 14 he went blind. Two years later, his mother died in a car crash. It was then when his father, in an attempt to deal with his grief, took Eric and his brothers on "walks through the wilderness", that he would find his passion. In the wilderness, Eric saw through his senseshis potential for pushing through any barriers that come his way, even climbing the world's highest mountains.
A new film about the life of neurologist and writer Oliver Sacks is being released. It's a story about a man who broke ground in the areas of cognitive health and human understanding. But little is known about the life Sacks shared with his partner Bill Hayes and so much is learned from those intimate moments the two shared even in the moments leading up to Sacks' death. Here is an excerpt from Hayes' book which was published in 2017.
Burnt Sugar is Avni Doshi's debut novel exploring the complex and often fractious relationship between a mother and daughter. Written over a 7 year period, Doshi's book is a culmination of overcoming her own fears of exposing her craft, one that is today being celebrated by being shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Wen Zhou is the CEO of 3.1 Phillip Lim, the designer clothing brand. In this candid profile,we read about a woman whose family ties and foundations of her youth as an immigrant from China, influence her life as a businesswoman, reflecting her desires to ensure the company imbues the qualities of respect, freedom, and inclusivity.
And finally, if you're ever in need of creative inspiration look no further than this article on Tom Waits. Waits is often seen as eccentric, a mystery even. Not for any particular reason other than he cannot be defined or stereotyped. In this brilliant 2002 profile by the writer Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat. Pray. Love.), the singer/songrwriter talks about marriage, fatherhood, the simple life, and creativity; how to grab a hold of it when it strikes and when to let go.
Here's hoping you find moments of inspiration, clarity, direction in whatever it is you're doing. Here's hoping I find it too.
Monita xo
