Note: Though this week’s edition of FHWL was published on Saturday, 092521, the micropodcast was recorded on Monday, 092021.
On my heart this week.
On Monday I celebrated my 38th birthday and got a visit from a praying mantis.
I’m always curious about the wisdom that nature and the animal kingdom bring, so I flipped through my Animal Speak1 book to figure out what the mantis symbolizes — the power of stillness. In this edition’s micropodcast I read the full passage that goes into more detail and this particular part has been holding my attention:
…it teaches how to still the outer so that when it is time to act in any form, it is done with surety, accuracy and great power…Mantis comes from a Greek word meaning Prophet. If we learn to go into the stillness, we can open ourselves to prophecy.
Since the mantis sighting and the mesmerizing Full Moon on Monday, I feel like I entered a portal to a new dimension. In the stillness within it, I’m finding so much clarity and peace. I’ve been flooded with these vivid visions of what’s to come, I’m recalling memories I’d buried, and have transported to moments across timelines that are helping me make sense of the human experience.
To say the least, it’s been a lot. And as I lean into my annual ritual of birthday reflection, it’s making me very present to two big questions that I’m journaling on over the weekend:
What am I cultivating for the year to come?
How am I savoring the moment?
Gifts for your growth.
🌱 This edition of FHWL marks 3 months (!!!) since I switched to this format. A full quarter. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in conversation with you every week. As I dream up new ways to tell stories and (hopefully) add a little value to your world through the newsletter, I would love to get to know you better. Can you click here and take a few minutes to complete a short FHWL survey? I'm looking forward to learning more about you!
💎 After winning an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (I May Destroy You), Michaela Coel’s acceptance speech gave big praying mantis energy. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth the watch.
Fuel for the week(end) ahead.
🎞️ Back in April, this brilliant writer and musician named Topaz Jones released one of my favorite projects of the year, Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma (an album + Sundance award-winning short film).
The rollout had me and Adrian like…
The short film was only showing for a limited time but now it’s available via the New York Times’ OpDocs channel here. Please take 30~ish minutes to indulge.
🎧 🎶 Now that Aaliyah’s full catalog is streaming on all music platforms, this week’s playlist is inspired by my favorite song of hers, It’s Whatever. The tracklist is full of some 90s and early 2000s R&B bops. Listen to it on Apple Music and Spotify.
Have a great weekend and I’ll see y’all on Monday ❤️.
Love always,
HMKM
The praying mantis note was pulled from Animal Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small by Ted Andrews
From Holley, With Love • Saturday, 092521