i'm a person.

the last couple of weeks have been a real challenge. and i mean a real challenge. a series of Jonah days, dare i say? (if you catch the reference. like, i didn’t want to and i tried not to but then i got swallowed by a fish so things really aren’t working out for me right now.)

so i’ve been trying to strike a balance between being useful and productive and being good to myself. because it’s easy not to be good to yourself these days. especially if you have a heart for justice ... you know the feeling. you tend to write yourself off, because you have things pretty good after all, and it isn’t like your life is on the line every day. it isn’t like you might not eat tomorrow. it isn’t like you’ve lost everything.

but then again. you’re a person. period. you have these things – i think they’re called “needs” – that must be met. that must be acknowledged if you are to be whole. an entire being capable of loving and giving to others. and it kind of levels the playing field, doesn’t it? it’s not like i don’t have problems. i’m not super human. i need relief just like my neighbor. we could all use a little help now and again.

so i've pulled out some origami paper and gotten to work on a little crane project i’ve been envisioning for some time. and as I carefully fold creases, i let myself let go of the day, the week, the frustrations. i put my mind to the little delights of hearing a friendly voice over a long distance line, the cool night air rustling the papers on the kitchen table, the dancey beat of Santigold on the speakers and the smell of Howdy’s leftover supper. (Howdy is my housemate, childhood friend, and newest SOMO addition – you’ll meet her next week.)

we give a lot, people. and that’s a good thing. a really, really good thing. we make the world a little better. we try. we fail. we try. we succeed. and sometimes we take a little break. and that’s a good thing, too.

(and if you find yourself having a jonah day, watch Mushishi. it’s a lifesaver. but do the subtitles, because Japanese is too beautiful.)