Love and grief connect us to one other, but grief is a topic most people prefer to avoid. When someone is grieving it seems impossible to find the words needed to comfort them. We rush past condolences for fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. We are unwilling to simply sit alongside another and hold space for their pain. Most people are walking around with hearts full of grief that no one is willing to bear witness to, which makes the experience all the more lonely. And it’s not just the grief of death that we carry, it’s the grief that comes with life… Paths we didn’t take, opportunities that passed us by, dreams tucked away and forgotten, words we failed to speak, harms we’ve see done to others… to live is to grieve. If we can learn to hold space for grief, we open our hearts to love and live more fully and fiercely. In order to do this, we must give grief a seat at the table. Are you willing to pull out a chair? 

What am I reading?

The Forget-Me-Not Library by Heather Webber 

https://bookshop.org/a/111301/9781250369277

The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Francis Weller

https://bookshop.org/a/111301/9781583949764

https://bookshop.org/shop/witchywomanwalking

What’s playing on repeat?

I’m on Your Side by Michael Franti 

What’s for dinner?

Pumpkin & Spinach Stuffed Tortillas 

Ingredients:

• Package of tortillas
• Can of pumpkin puree
• Onion
• Ground chicken, vegetarian ground “meat”, or beans - seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin, and garlic powder 
• Jalapeño 
• Fresh spinach
• Cheddar cheese (caramelized onion cheddar is great!) or Mexican blend 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brown meat in skillet, season with salt pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Add jalapeños to taste. Add fresh spinach, sauté until wilted. Assemble tortillas with a layer of pumpkin puree, cheddar cheese, and meat mixture. Roll tortilla, place in baking dish. Once you’ve rolled all your tortillas, sprinkle with another layer of cheese. Bake until golden brown. Enjoy! 

Cinnamon Sore Throat Tea

Ingredients:

• 1 cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 slice fresh ginger
• 1 tea bag (chamomile or herbal)

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a gentle boil. Add the cinnamon stick and ginger slice, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 5–7 minutes so the cinnamon and ginger flavors infuse the water fully.

Take the saucepan off the heat and discard the cinnamon stick and ginger slice to prevent bitterness while maintaining the infused flavor.

If you choose to use a tea bag, steep it in the hot cinnamon water for 3–5 minutes until the tea develops a rich flavor.

Stir in the honey and fresh lemon juice until fully dissolved.

Pour your prepared cinnamon sore throat tea into a mug. Enjoy!

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