Beginnings

Welcome to A Glimpse Of Nature – reflections on the way I see nature and humans and how I interpret and make connections with what I see and experience in the world.

I’ve been contemplating starting a blog for about a year and a half. I make meaning and connections out of a lot of what happens to and around me. Sometimes it’s a metaphor or an allegory, sometimes it’s simply seeing forests and trees. Which doesn’t seem out of the ordinary to me, but others are often surprised by the connections I’ve made. And a few have said to me, more than once, that I should have a blog. So what the heck, if sharing some of my thoughts on a blog helps someone, here it is…

However, I also hope this blog furthers my own personal growth as well. Last summer, I began digging into Brené Brown’s work around worthiness, authenticity and vulnerability. If you’re not familiar with Brené and are curious, start with her TED talk from 2010: http://bit.ly/1GlL9DV. I’ve watched that TED talk and others available on the web so many times and vulnerability, authenticity and wholeness became more important to me as I started reading her books. One of the pieces that has resonated with me is about showing up – not as someone who has it all together and figured out or as someone who is perfect – but showing up just as we are in our imperfection and sharing who we really are.

Showing up in the world without my mask of perfection just as I am really scares a part of me. But I’ve also seen proof, many times in my life, that vulnerability and taking off my perfection mask does indeed foster connection. And what beautiful connections those are – so full of love and belonging. I know they like ME, not some image of me that I’m trying desperately to project. And I don’t have to worry about what will happen – if they’ll still like me – when I take my mask off; what a liberating thought that is!

Last December, when I turned 40, I made a commitment to living that and choosing to show up in the world just as I am. Not as someone who has it all together, not as someone who can do new things perfectly the first time but as someone who is human and has to learn through trial and error. So with that in mind, I’ve started this blog to share what runs around in my head. Not in perfection but just as it is in authenticity. Please do share your thoughts here (comments are moderated, so please be patient, they will get posted) or via email to april[at]aglimpseofnature.com. Here’s to showing up in the world authentically and celebrating all the beautiful messiness and imperfection of life.