I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
Month: January 2020
A flame captures
attention and lights up
the imagination, but
beneath it all the candle
stands straight and tall.
Even unlit, a candle offers
potential. Available for those
who wish to see, allowing
itself to be consumed,
knowing its light will provide
comfort and strength.
A candle illuminates both
hope and faith.
Find peace where you are,
burn proudly, give off all
you know, so others may find
a way through the darkness.
j.g.l.
Posted on January 24, 2020 by j.g.lewis // 2 Comments
by Jennifer Hillman
We gather in this month for the beginning of this new year and the new decade, to find our footing in this new timeline of potentials and possibilities. Finding space to dream bigger and better for oneself and humanity, this month is one of clearing up from the holidays, the past decade, and now any mental or emotional blocks that will get in the way of this new storyline we are creating.
It is interesting how we create ways of clearing things up. For me, I created cleaning up through a type of shamanic death: Valley Fever. There were weeks of deep sleep and strange dreams while creating a new world of dreams.
The other part of this is Earth herself will be changing and moving into her evolution self. The fire in Australia, glaciers breaking up and the oceans rising, along with more earthquakes and the funky weather patterns; some of this may be man-created, but our Mother Earth is showing us her thoughts on the conditions and her plans with all of this change.
It is time to create that plan for the new dreams and finding our footing towards them. It is all possible without limitations. The planets throughout 2020 will be showing us the ways and giving us hints on our progress. Situations and issues that have kept our dreams at bay will surface for a deeper understanding of who we truly are. Our brilliance, hidden below the surface, is wanting to come through.
2020 is the year of Capricorn, an earth sign that grounds new realities for us. Saturn and Pluto lead the way, with Mercury, Jupiter also in this sign. Capricorn is Saturn’s home space, meaning structure, tasks, and success. Think of its symbol; the mountain goat who finds its way up the mountain with stable footing and skillful maneuvering. . . one step at a time.
At one time or another, the personal planets will come and go through Capricorn; Grounding the stability to continue in the right direction with careful thoughts. Pluto meets up with Saturn for the first time in more than 150 years; the last time was the year of the US revolutionary war. They will meet up a few times this year. Pluto is the planet of death, rebirth, and evolution. Out of this death, comes a new level of stability and personal growth. Chaos may occur during the process. I suggest we focus on the positive and see the blessings in all situations this year. From the darkness, light is born once again.
2020 is all about this transformation and progress for the world, nature, individuals, and groups of humanity. What we focus on this year is building our new storyline and a chapter for all of us. Truly, take a little time and focus with your heart in mind and ask yourself a simple question to manifest this new life: What would I love? Answer this in the coming weeks and allow it to unfold by listening to the whispers of your inner voice.
Lessons will be learned along the way to redefine and solidify your dreams. Continue to breathe in the beauty within and about you and see the love in all. We are all in this together and this year is showing us the ways to do it for the betterment of this fragile world.
Jennifer Hillman is an intuitive life coach/healer, podcast host, published writer and poet. Her books, Embracing Souls, are available on Jennifer Hillman.com, where she is available for coaching sessions.
Posted on January 23, 2020 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
I purchased some Purell yesterday; a big bottle for home, and a couple of pocket-sized dispensers for my packsack or pocket. The hand solution claims to kill 99.9% of germs.
In the short walk to the post office, I passed two people on the street wearing facemasks.
The big, bold front-page headline of Tuesday’s Toronto Sun on Tuesday read: YEAR OF THE VIRUS, and the amount of information on radio and television increases daily.
The coronavirus is a reality. While it had reportedly been contained in China, a case was recently reported in the United States. That’s cause for alarm.
Of course I am concerned, particularly as word spreads like the disease of what is often referred to as a “SARS-like virus”.
SARS is a believable, horrific word in Toronto.
In 2003, Canada was the hardest hit country by the SARS outbreak outside of Asia. Of the 774 people killed by the virus worldwide, 44 deaths were in Canada. More than 3,300 people hospitalized (of the 8,098 global cases) and billions of dollars in economic losses have been attributed to SARS as people avoided Toronto like the plague.
I did not live in Toronto at the time, but travelled there on business regularly. There were months I did not make the trip. The reality of SARS was simply too great to take a chance.
I live in Toronto now. Flu season has not yet peaked, and now every cough from a stranger is cause for concern. A virus like 2019-nCoV is easily spread by person-to-person contact, and there are more people in this city than any other in this country. They are the everyday people you see, meet, and brush up against on subways and in shopping malls.
Of course I am concerned.
Health officials advise that washing your hands is still the best first-line defense against this virus, just as it is for the common cold.
I know I wash my hands regularly (not obsessively), but also know many people don’t. Yes, I purchased the hand sanitizer for me, but really I bought it because of them.
01/23/2020 j.g.l.
