Dear Friend,
A couple of weeks ago, I came home on a hot summer afternoon, schlepping my computer bag over my shoulder, juggling my lunch bag and a travel mug, trying to figure out how to grab my keys.
Approaching my front porch, I saw it: a large brown box that I wasn’t expecting. I dropped everything and ran to it. I checked the return address, then held the box close for a moment—as if it were a newborn baby.
Writing With The Seasons had arrived!
I wrangled the front door open, carried in the box, and set my things down. My Saluki, Odin, came bounding down the stairs to check out the commotion. Crystal, the spotted gecko we’ve been gecko-sitting over the summer, looked up from her tank, too.
I briefly thought about setting up my camera to do one of those polished unboxing videos. But the moment felt too intimate, too special with just Odin, Crystal, and me. Mostly, I just wanted to break open the tape and hold a piece of my heart in my hands.
The journey from initial draft to publication can be an arduous one; this journal was once a quiet dream, a vision, and now it’s alive in the world.
Writing With The Seasons is designed as a companion journal to what I offer here each Sunday. You can leave it on your nightstand, toss it in a bag, and take a few moments whenever you need to sit, open it, and bridge your inner and outer worlds.
When I went through breast cancer treatment six years ago, much of my non-medical healing came from long walks—listening to the sky, the rocks, the flowers, and the trees. I watched summer give way to Autumn’s glory that year, and as the leaves fell to the ground, I felt a deep release of many painful things I had been holding. Winter felt long that year, but dark and mysterious in a way that allowed me to go deeper into my psyche.
Facing illness helped me better understand my mortality. None of us knows how many days we have on this earth; that is out of our control. But by engaging in mindful practices and offering gratitude for the changing seasons inside and around us, I believe we can deepen and expand the time we do have.
I’d love for you to join me for a complimentary online writing circle on the Autumn Equinox (Sept. 22 @7pm ET), where we’ll explore seasonal rhythms together through prompts and conversation.
🎟️ Register for the Equinox Writing Circle: Registration here.
📖 Pre-order the Journal: Writing With The Seasons is now available for pre-order and arrives in North America on Oct. 6! Pre-order link.
Do you have a friend who might appreciate this creative practice? Invite them to join our community!
Writing Practice: Set aside 5-7 minutes for this practice. Write in a journal or open a dedicated ‘Journey with the Seasons’ digital document where you can return each Sunday.
Prompt: Take yourself back to a moment when you found comfort in the natural world while struggling with something—big or small. Maybe you felt alone, lost, frightened, or full of grief.
What place or element supported you? (Think of animals, minerals, the sky, or planets. A favorite tree, a small wildflower breaking through concrete, or immersing yourself in a body of water.)
Revisit that season and moment with descriptive words. What did you see, sense, and feel?
Looking back, what did that moment teach you about your connection to the natural world?
I always love reading whatever arises from your writing. Please feel free to share in the comments!
In moments when life feels overwhelming, pause when you can and turn to the landscape around you. It might mean taking a two-minute break to look at the sky, or taking a short walk and noticing how the earth steadily supports your weight.
Through the week, journal about the connections you feel between your inner and outer landscapes, and notice what that awareness opens up for you.
Wishing you a week full of connection, magic and creativity! With love, Gabrielle Ariella
PS: These beautiful photos were taken by my friend, the talented Rachel Pipitone.
PPS: A huge thank you to everyone who has been voting for Fred and me as we enter the Semi-Finals in the America’s Favorite Couple competition! Many of you have asked how we got into this and why it means so much to us. We made a short video sharing our unique marriage and parenting journey, and how winning could help us bring our story to a national platform.
Daily voting here: America’s Favorite Couple competition
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