On Generations
I’m New Here - Offering 11
Hello, and welcome back to the eleventh offering of “I’m New Here,” a newsletter about finding grounding and connection in changing times. Thank you as always for reading, and welcome to new subscribers! 📬
I have come to see being surrounded by many generations as one of life’s greatest gifts. To look up, and to see the wisdom that has come through a lifetime of triumphs and setbacks, and to see emerging a new generation unburdened by all that has come before them. In these moments, one’s place in something greater than a singular experience becomes ever more tangible and real, as does the responsibility that comes from your place within this beautiful tapestry of experiences and identities.
As the matriarch of our family has begun to show signs of slowing (in body, but not in spirit), I have felt the subtle shifting of roles within the family unit. With this comes a realization - that the continuation of tradition, the sharing of story and a deepening of connection all rest upon the next generation. My generation.
With the passage of time, there is an unspoken inheritance that occurs - where one goes from guest to host of the moments that become collective memories. My initial uncertainty (am I ready?) has given way to a something deeper - to be the uncle that hides the Easter eggs (or, one day soon, the one who hosts a holiday dinner) is an immense privilege and joy. It may not always come naturally, or without its learnings (Easter eggs need to be at eye level or lower for little ones, if you want them to find them), but I am so grateful to have these times together.
In this is a reminder about our fleeting lives in this time and space - that we hold agency, in ways solo and shared, to bring meaning to a moment. What might now be a fond family tradition was, at one time, undertaken for the first time. A morning ritual that now gives grounding to your day came to be when the feeling it conjured was a spark to begin another day with it when the sun rose again. How can we more fully embrace these opportunities, and through it, enrich not only our lives, but those of our loved ones?
I would love to hear from others what new roles are appearing for you amidst your circles of loved ones, and how you are turning moments into memories. And as always, thank you for reading.
Sparks 💥
To close out each newsletter, I offer a few things that have “sparked” something for me (joy, reflection, pause) - here are a couple from the past couple of weeks:
On the theme of things that are a privilege and joy, I had the opportunity to see FaceSoul perform on their recent tour as a part of Melbourne Jazz Fest. To call it a concert would be to minimize its magnitude - in a small venue, it felt more a collective exploration of all the emotions and experiences that make us human. If you haven’t yet heard their work, I would recommend beginning with “Faith in Me” or “Grow”.
Also as a part of Jazz Fest this year, I had the chance to catch “Never Too Much,” the new documentary about the life and music of Luther Vandross. In focusing most on those closest to him, it was a moving tribute.
Continuing on the theme of creative expression, friend Ruby Singh has just released his latest single, “Radiate”, described as “a personal awakening of liberation through sound.” You can find the track here.