Flowers Don’t Always Bloom Loudly
June was quieter than I expected……and somehow, I think I needed that.
I welcomed June while I was on transit. Then, for the better part of the month, I was home.
Most of my days looked almost the same.
I’d wake up, stretch, pray, get some work done, squeeze in a few somatic exercises here and there, then do it all over again the next day.
There wasn’t much reading this month either. In fact, I’ve slowly been making peace with the fact that my season of devouring self-help books is coming to an end. Once I’m done with the one I’m currently reading, I think that’ll be enough.
Lately, I’ve found myself wanting to simply live more than constantly trying to fix myself.
A lot of family time….and my little nephew completely stole the best parts of my days.
He’s exhausting in the sweetest way imaginable.
Somewhere in between all of that, I quietly ended a number of friendships. Not because there was drama. Just that some differences are quite intense to navigate….and so those friendships had simply run their course.
Surprisingly, it didn’t feel heavy.
It felt like an exhale I didn’t know I had been holding. I have beautiful memories of those and I’m gonna remember them with a smile.
Towards the end of the month, a few beautiful souls and I found ourselves at Arboretum Kajok’oby, also known as the Tree Therapy…a little sanctuary tucked away in Kisumu.
What was once a home just like other homes…has been lovingly transformed into a space where nature quietly reminds you to slow down. And now it’s simply a safe haven.
Without a doubt, it became my favorite memory of June.
There was something about that place that settled me.
I can’t quite explain it, but I left feeling lighter than I arrived.
It’s one of those places that stays with you long after you’ve left, and I already know I’ll find my way back there.
While we were there, someone asked me a question I’ve never really liked.
“So… what do you do?”
I froze.
I stuttered.
Not because I didn’t know what I do, but because I had never quite found words that felt like home.
Later that day, I sat with myself.
As much as I still think it’s one of the most superficial questions we ask each other, I also accepted that it’s a question I’ll probably hear for the rest of my life.
Maybe people ask it because they’re trying to understand where someone fits in the world.
Personally, though, I’d be far more inclined to ask,
“What part of your work do you enjoy the most?” .…Or, “How much do you enjoy what you do?”
Those answers tell me far more about a person than a job title ever could.
But perhaps June wasn’t about changing the question.
Perhaps it was about finally making peace with it.
About answering it without feeling like I had to justify myself.
Sometimes growth arrives quietly, disguised as a conversation you’ve been avoiding.
I know we’re already well into July, but I’m still speaking good intentions over what remains of it.
May alignment continue finding me.
May I continue participating fully in my own life.
And may I continue being surprised in all the beautiful ways.
This feels like one of my quietest monthly reflections.
Maybe because I’ve been in a bit of a slump.
But not the kind that empties you. The kind that quietly rearranges you while life continues unfolding around you…..and perhaps that’s a beautiful thing too.
To the sweet stranger who happens to stumble upon these words…
Please be intentional about truly living.
Don’t wait for extraordinary moments to convince yourself that life is happening.
The ordinary days count too.
I’m wishing you beautiful moments through the rest of the year. May it unfold gently….may it unfold bravely…..and may it unfold in ways that feel true to the desires of your heart.
Cheers. 🌸
A few gems from Kajok’oby. Picture credits (Suvenia Safaris)
Shadow to my light. 