But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
“A moving sea between the shores… .” Yes. I just returned from a month in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I saw old friends, made new friends, and learned to be my own best friend again. Years before Kent died, I met a woman, Max, whose husband had just died. She looked me in the eye and adamantly said, “Get yourself some girlfriends. We [her husband] did everything together, I mean everything. And now he’s gone.” I saw Max every year for a while, and she got healthier and stronger, and had found new love. Kent and I were inseparable unless he was travelling. We had alone time built into our relationship and that is what I am feeding from now: that love of self.
Don’t get me wrong, staying at Casa del Cielo was like going through a magical door, where everything is brighter and better. The other condo owners made me feel welcome, and we shared stories and sunsets on the rooftop. I was just a few blocks from my friends John and Lalo, and we shared laughter and advice and joy. Lalo is an artist, and I have a few of his pieces already, but I had to get at least one more. Here is my first:
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And here is my latest:
Tears of the Compassionate Mother by Lalo
I also got to spend time with two of my sisters. “I have sisters of blood and sisters of heart. Sometimes they are the same person.” One stays in Yelapa for the winter months. It’s a tiny village, and you must take a boat to get there.
My other sister is also an artist and spent two weeks with me. Check her out at
Art has saved me in many ways. It’s a motif in my memoir (WIP). I am almost ready to query agents. Speaking of working as a writer, here is my upcoming news.
I am joining my friend and colleague Natasha Williams on this panel along with Agata Szczeszak-Brewer and Charlotte Maya. Natasha’s memoir is coming out on April 29th, and I cannot wait to tell you more about it in my next blog. It is now available for preorder at Bookshop or Barnes & Noble. It is one of the most compelling stories I have ever read (and I am NOT one for hyperbole).
I am still working with The International Women’s Writing Guild, hosting the Featured Author and Open Mic Series with my friend and colleague, the ever-talented Catharina Coenen. I cannot wait for her memoir to be published. More on that next time.
The IWWG has a new anthology coming out.
“In 2025, our anthology efforts align with the 69th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). This event is a call to action, reminding us of the power of storytelling to illuminate the 12 critical areas of concern outlined in the Beijing Platform for Action—from education and health to climate justice and human rights. The 2025 IWWG Anthology, supported by The de Groot Foundation, will bring together voices from around the world to reflect on these themes.”
Art is more than my muse. She is part of my soulself. Siempre (Always).
Adios for now. I will leave you with another favorite piece from an artist and sister, Sierra Lonepine Briano.
Beautiful things, words and thoughts. Thank you for sharing. Bless you.