Reading · Growth Patterns

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Hi friends 👋

All excuses are bad excuses, but I skipped my weekly wrap-up last Friday as I was feeling generally a little overwhelmed with life. Moving into a new apartment, a windy bike race in the middle of the desert, feeling the lows of the creative process in writing, a heart-health scare, and learning the hard way what a Jeep Death Wobble is… Stress levels were high.

Today, my art is hung on the walls and the couch is finally in the living room of my new place. I’m thankful for a run and coffee with friends this morning, and encouraging conversations. Sally, if you’re reading this, thanks for the needed reminder that a sabbatical is a commitment to exploration and not to stress about the outcome.

What a silly problem to have, worrying about slowing down and enjoying life. Sigh.

Here are five things from the past week I’ve been thinking about— besides wheel bearings— that I think are worth sharing:

A charter school that’s changing lives

This week I had the privilege of taking a tour of KIPP – a unique charter school here in Austin! It was amazing to meet with the students and hear about their educational journeys. KIPP provides students with so many resources and opportunities that a typical public school wouldn’t— from specialized electives to “to and through” college and trade school support after graduation. I was so impressed with the ambition, empathy and love for their community that the students showed.

A non-profit that is expanding to Austin

Underground Ministries

The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and Texas has a rate that rivals the entire country. I was introduced to Underground Ministries this week, a non-profit that comes alongside prisoners before they are released to help them reintegrate into society— connecting them with caring communities. They are in the process of expanding to Texas, and it was powerful to hear the stories of how they are transforming the lives of so many hurting people.

A place I’ll never get tired of

Maybe it’s the Michigan girl in me who needs to jump in the water to stay sane, but Barton Springs is simply magical. There’s something special about swimming with turtles in a spring-fed pool with the city skyline in the background. The water temperature hovers around 69 degrees year-round, with the cool autumn mornings setting in here in Austin, the summer crowds at Barton are starting to fade.

A place you should visit

The Chinati Foundation

This former military base in the middle of the desert is home to some impressive large-scale art installations. Chinati was founded in the 1980s by artist Donald Judd with the goal of bringing art, architecture, and land together as a collective experience.

📍 Marfa, Texas