grabbing my matches
Vase from Target, designed by my friend Justina Blakeney.
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
I say this every year: There’s something about late August/early September that feels more like a new year than a new year does. This could be the result of my life having been ruled by an academic calendar for something in the neighbourhood of 19 years of my early life (and let’s face it, 13 years and counting of my parenting life), but it’s a habit that I’ve never been able to shake. So happy new year, everyone. Days of auld lang syne, and all that.
This fall has a lot in store for me, not the least of which is the (finally!) launch of my new book, Radiant Rebellion: Reclaim Aging, Practice Joy & Raise a Little Hell. This means that for the next seven or so weeks, I’m going to be contacting book stores and arranging book launch events and assembling a squadron to lead the rebellion (more on this very soon, I hope you join me), so it’s going to be an intense time. And of course, part of doing all of this is figuring out how to express what I hope folks get from the book in a really succinct way.
Then I came across the quote above. And while yes, I agree with Plutarch (who I’d never heard of before, but dude studied both mathematics and philosophy, so he sounds pretty cool), it dawned on me that I think his words also apply to what it means to get older. We spend so much time in our younger adulthood managing responsibilities like careers and partners and raising children, sometimes I think we forget that there’s something fiery and incandescent about really enjoying the process of living: of loving and taking care of each other and trying to make the world better and remaining curious and continuing to learn and basking in moments of awe.
Our lives aren’t vessels to be filled, but fires to be kindled.
Okay, so it’s not original, but you get my point.
Anyway, stay tuned for news about how you can join the rebellion. I’m really excited. I hope you will be, too.
A little about the new book.