Life lately (April-June)
embracing possibility
Welcome, July! It’s hard to find the words to sum up this last season. On the one hand, the world breaks our hearts every single day. The continued horror in Gaza, the war in Iran, the attacks on immigrants and civil rights here in the U.S. and the unabated gloom of the news cycle all around. But at the same time, the spring unfurled into the radiance of early summer while we celebrated mothers and fathers, graduations and the other rituals of the season.
The last quarter has felt like a renaissance of sorts for me personally, with the successful organization of a retreat in Jamaica and my participation in the Calabash Festival—both creative endeavors that are opening doors that I never dreamed possible (more below). Given that “possibility” is my word of 2025, I’m so grateful to have spent these last months in its embrace! Wherever you are and in spite of the heaviness around us, I thank you for reading and wish you abundance and joy for the season to come.
10 Things to Check Out
In case you didn’t know, April is National Poetry Month in the U.S. In honor of that, I launched a haiku project and wrote more than 50 haikus based on submissions of words/images/songs from my readers, friends and family. If you’re one of those who made a submission, thank you ever so much! I’ll soon be publishing the renderings in a poetry collection called Filaments. Watch this space for more info soon to come.
Speaking of poetry, don’t we all need more of it in our lives? Clearly I think so, and that’s why I ordered a set of poetry magnets for our refrigerator. We’ve been having great fun assembling little phrases, mini-poems and other tidbits from this complete magnetic set of words, letters and punctuation marks. Maybe fridge poetry is the next frontier?
So about that retreat that I organized in Treasure Beach, Jamaica with my friend Meghan? I may be a bit biased, but it was pure magic! Nature, Nurture, Nourish was about connecting mind, body and spirit while immersed in the natural beauty and warm community of Treasure Beach, which has come to mean so much to me over the last years. We had 9 guests from all over the U.S. (California, DC/Virginia, Massachusetts and New Jersey) as well as France and Lithuania, and together we had the best time! The highlight for me was the guided writing circle that I led, and in next week’s post I’ll tell you about our closing night open mic and what I learned from this experience, which was nothing short of transformational. In the meanwhile, please enjoy these highlight reels.
Have you ever had an Indian mango? They’re literally the best on earth (no offense to Thailand, Jamaica, Mexico, etc.). I have fond memories of the brief span of time during which we could find them in Indian groceries while I was growing up, so I found Priya Krishna’s recent NY Times article (gift link) on the cutthroat competition involved behind the scenes to be very intriguing.
Over the last few months, Harvard University has been waging battle with the Trump administration and its unlawful attempts to meddle in the university’s affairs and cancel its federal funding. Among the many strategies deployed by the administration is the denial of visas to international students. My former professor Fernando Reimers of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education wrote this excellent piece for University World News on why this particular tactic runs contrary to the very ethos of higher education.
I’m still daydreaming about this year’s Calabash Festival, the biannual literary bonanza that took place in Treasure Beach on May 23-25 of this year (right after our retreat). Hopefully you had a chance to read my roundup from those magnificent three days (including my reading in the legendary open mic). For more on Calabash, check out these pieces from Forbes (Baz Dreisinger) and The Guardian (Liv Little). And be sure mark your calendars for the next edition in May 2027!
I’ve been devouring the Substack of Mohammed R. Mhawish, a journalist and writer from Gaza who offers personal essays and in-depth analysis of the horrors unfolding there. I was particularly moved by his Father’s Day essay about the early childhood educator Ms. Rachel, whose teaches young children around the world nursery rhymes and alphabets through her wildly popular YouTube channel. Mhawish describes how as the bombs rained down, Ms. Rachel’s videos provided tiny moments of joy for his 3-year old son (it turns out that she’s also an advocate for the children of Gaza). A very powerful essay.
During the dog days of summer, an icy refreshing beverage is obviously a must. Enter Fresh Fizz Sodas, sold in natural and organic groceries across the U.S. The sparkling mint lemonade and hibiscus ginger ale are great, but my personal favorite is the sparkling jalapeño limeade (tequila optional but ice is not!).
Amidst the terrible political landscape, Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary for Mayor of New York City was both a shock and a thrill. There’s been a lot written about who he is and how he did it, but I particularly appreciated this take in The Guardian on what Democrats can learn from Mamdani, at a moment when the party is completely floundering otherwise.
Hello, my name is Ramya, and I have a crockery problem. As in, I have a weakness for pretty plates, bowls and other tableware. So it’s no surprise that I couldn’t resist this 4-pack of everyday bowls from East Fork Pottery, which is a Certified B corporation founded and run by potters in the Blue Ridge Mountains. These are beautiful, sustainable pieces that you’ll use again and again, which is exactly what we’ve been doing ever since they arrived.
What I read
It’s been a great season for reading, and some of the books I’ve enjoyed recently include The Star Side of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson and Casualties of Truth by Lauren Francis-Sharma. I’m also really enjoying the craft book Dear Writer by Maggie Smith, which is a treasure trove of writing advice from one of my favorite poets. I love what she says about the role of inspiration in poetry:
“You can’t force a poem, but I think you can prepare for one. Preparing for a poem requires being open and porous versus closed; hopeful and expectant versus cynical. You can prepare by keeping your antennae raised—being open to sparks and connections. When words begin to gather around an idea and gravitate toward one another, as if magnetized, that feels as close to a miracle as anything I’ve experienced.”
I also highly HIGHLY recommend the short story collection Lovers Rock, presented by the organizers of Calabash in partnership with Audible. While audiobooks aren’t normally my jam, these “literary love stories” (all set in Jamaica) are delicious and compelling—perfect companions during my walks home from work.
What I watched
I really enjoyed Four Seasons (Netflix), a comedy drama mini-series about the trials and tribulation of three long-time married couples who holiday together in different seasons. Created by and starring the brilliant Tina Fey, it’s a hilarious, tender and very real take on the trials and tribulations of romantic relationships and friendships in middle age. Definitely worth a watch.
What I listened to
As per usual, a lot of reggae (btw, today July 1 is International Reggae Day)! There were lots of great performances at Calabash, but I particularly enjoyed Jaz Elise, who I’ve been listening to on repeat ever since. Also worth a listen, especially if you’re a fan of 90s dancehall: Beenie Man’s Tiny Desk concert from last month. A total vibe!
What I cooked
With all that’s been on my plate (no pun intended) these last few months, I admittedly didn’t cook much worth documenting during this last season. Instead, we’ve also been eating lots of salads and simple grain bowls, such as the one pictured above, which is a mix of farro (substitute your grain of choice), roasted cauliflower (seasoned with cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper), beans (simmer a can of your beans of choice on low heat with the same spices as above + some chipotle), pickled red onions, purple cabbage and cilantro. Easy, endlessly riffable and delicious.
And a poem to sign off…
For sure, I'll keep you posted!
Going to definitely check out 4 Seasons, the meal looks delicious, and thank you for the birthday poem. :-)