The Real Life Giving Tree

What falls, feeds

Hello, Framily!

Today’s newsletter is an offering of some of the lovely things I’ve been gathering lately. No cultural deep dives. No take downs. There is a personal essay below the paywall (this one is vulnerable).

I guess you could say the theme is nurse logs. Nurse logs are dead, fallen trees that allow new life to grow, both on and around it.

First, I want to share this On Being episode with Michael Pollan and Krista Tippet on the mystery of consciousness. What determines consciousness, sentience or thoughts? Does artificial intelligence have a consciousness? Do plants? Can plants feel pain?

Second, this interview with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Julie Frattantoni and one of my favorite reporters, Jessica Yellin. First favorite takeaway came after a discussion about maintaining an optimistic mindset. Dr. Frattantoni underscored the need to avoid toxic positivity — don’t lie to yourself and tell yourself everything is great when it’s not.

In fact, it’s kind of the opposite:

The more we allow ourselves to feel the discomfort, the more we are able to experience joy.

In essence, we need to allow ourselves to feel all the emotions, good and bad, so that we can feel true, authentic, deep joy and goodness.

I’ve always felt that in my bones, but I was afraid to announce that and romanticize adversity. To silver line martyrdom. And yet, brain research shows that pain is indeed a portal. Our capacity to go deep into the pain cave offers greater capacity to share in the joy, wonder, and awe of the world.

The deeper we root into shit, the more we can grow. Maybe we’re more like plants than we know. 🌱

My daughter walks through the old growth of the Tongass on a nurse log. Their fallen bodies become rich matter for new things to grow. Death gives way to life. Nurse logs typically hold five times more living matter than when they were living. When they fall, they break up the forest canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the dark forest floor. Their thick carpet of moss and soft bark prevent seeds from being smothered by other plants.

The interview is tucked inside this post (scroll past the news section to find it):

The Iran Deal Is Finally Here. Even Trump Allies Are Mad.

Dr. Julie (as she calls herself) also said meditation is great, but a lighter lift with a heavier reward is actually just silencing the notifications on your phone. Constant interruption causes early onset dementia, not to mention feeling like all the wires are coming out of your brain at the same time. 🤖

Which, incidentally, is exactly the vision that appeared to Lizzie, the psychic medium who did a reading with me this week, when she scanned my crown area. I’m still composting and integrating the experience, which I one day hope to share with you.

For now, I’m just going to say check out Lizzie Langston and her Substack, . Listening to her talk is like listening to a wise old friend who is funny, accessible, articulate and just really cool. Also, she’s a psychic medium. 💅🏼

You Are the Phoenix Rising

I really appreciated this post from Brook Woolf (they), who essentially asks How do white people make a home when whiteness only knows how to outsource community — buy the village, so to speak?

When “the architecture of capitalism [protects] itself by making community look like poverty”?

Why Is It So Hard to Find White Community That Isn’t Quietly Gross

Finally, this post by ✨ Prajna O'Hara ✨ , which gives comfort to those of us still healing from deep wounds.

There’s more to share here, below the paywall. An honest reckoning of what last year actually looked like, what got me through, and an invitation just for this community.

If that’s you, keep reading. ✨

💖, Summer