A Future Rooted in Care
A collective reflection on love and power through embodied practice and shared connection.
A Future Rooted in Care
Agroecological carework,
establishing an alive, able futurity.
With an open heart, unafraid,
we flow into love—
tender, growing, infinite.
Expanding with ancestors,
we accept, remember, return.
Tenderness dissolves into presence,
with gramma and mummy,
we be loved, in community.
Listening, holding, and being held,
hearts turned toward helping,
seeing deeply.
Through deep breaths, slow with grace,
we move into the space meant for us,
store ease, and share.
Resolve to emerge, to connect.
Passion burns with fire and presence.
Treasure discovered through grief and transformation.
Death brings metamorphosis,
regeneration everlasting.
Nourishing and gentle,
we rest in resistance,
embracing self-love.
Wisdomfire lights discernment and balance.
Felt experience brings peace, connectedness.
Pitter-patter, pleasure—continuously
making connections.
We embody knowing, really—
gather, align,
reciprocity extending our care.
Trust blooms in tenderheartedness.
Loving, gentle, sweet.
Mutuality deepens connection,
beneath stars, atop mountaintops.
Ease and warmth radiate acceptance.
Empowerment births possibility.
We release, we renew—
held within community,
containing safety.
Importance is found in practice,
in the necessity of open hearts.
Even when open feels hard,
resonance meets harmony,
resting in slowness.
I find nourishment in grief,
tending to wings of growth.
The future, though heavy with pain,
holds hope.
Together, we rise,
growing into a world rooted in love.
Acknowledgment
This poem and the artwork above it has been inspired and created through the collective heart of a shared space, where words became bridges and reflections became threads of connection. It emerged from the beautiful practice of questioning:
What do you notice in your heart? What do you want to remember about giving and receiving, exchanging for the sake of building?
This were all the words that emerged: Agroecological carework establishing an alive, able futurity. Open heart, unafraid, flow with love—tender, growing, infinite. Expanding with ancestors, we accept, remember, and return. Tenderness dissolves into presence, with gramma and mummy. Be loved, in community, listening, holding, and being held. Turned toward helping and seeing, deep breaths, slow with grace. Move into the space meant for us, store ease, and share. Resolve to emerge and connect, with passion, fire, and presence. Treasure found through grief and transformation, through death, metamorphosis, and regeneration—everlasting, nourishing, and gentle. Rest in resistance and self-love, as wisdomfire lights discernment and balance. Felt experience of peace and connectedness, the pitter-patter of pleasure continuously making connections. Embody knowing, really gather and align, reciprocity extending care. Trust blooms in tenderheartedness—loving, gentle, sweet. Mutuality deepens connection, beneath stars and atop mountaintops. Ease and warmth radiate acceptance, empowerment birthing possibility. Release and renew within community, containing safety, where importance meets practice and necessity. Open, even when hard, resonance finds harmony, resting in slowness. I find nourishment in the future, holding hope, pain, tending grief, and spreading wings, always growing.
that has been offered as an exploration of The Embodiment Institute and their director Prentis Hemphill and their instructors Alta Starr and Oscar Trujillo.
We honored #MLKDay while holding the weight of today’s realities and the hope of tomorrow’s possibilities.
Together, we reached toward building communities of safety, freedom, and dignity. Communities that nourish, support, and sustain our growth and well-being, even amidst systems of hate and oppression.
This creation is born of love and power:
Love for one another as we defend our rights to be who we are and care for the ecosystems that sustain us.
Power to transform, to resist, and to build resilient movements toward liberation in our lifetimes.
We acknowledge the courage it takes to feel in these times, to stay in our bodies, and to make choices that align with care, freedom, and dignity. Our collective practice is political; our embodiment is resistance.
To all who contributed their words, hearts, and presence: thank you for showing up. Thank you for offering your truth in this space, for trusting the power of connection, and for co-creating this expression of shared hope, resilience, and liberation.
This poem is ours. This poem is yours.
This poem and artwork are community.
Together, we continue to build.
❤️ If you find this piece meaningful, consider clicking the heart at the top or bottom of the post. It helps others discover this newsletter and brightens my day.
Would you be willing to Support My Work and Subscribe and / or Contribute? It would mean so much to me!
Creating art, testing recipes, and sharing my reflections here is a labor of love, but it also comes with real costs. Since January 2024 I am on sick leave for mental health challenges. Monty and I make life workable with a disposable income of €350 / $380 a month.
Hi There! I am Monty, to my friends and Sir Montgomery in formal situations. Very glad to make your acquaintance. Will you become part of Jay’s and me pride? I’d really love that, then you can call me Monty.
I share more on my current situation here:
If my writing, art, and recipes resonate with you, I would be incredibly grateful if you would consider supporting my work with a paid subscription to Wild Lion*esses Pride.
And if I may ask—should you happen to know of opportunities for a cook, baker, barkeep, host, concierge, travel manager, personal assistant, house philosopher, systemic conversationalist, photographer, resident artist, or even a whimsical weather frog person—please pass along my name. I’m eager to embrace new adventures, wherever the tides of life and serendipity may lead me.
Your subscription helps keep this space ad-free, reader-supported, and accessible to everyone, while also supporting the time, creativity, and resources I dedicate to this work.
If a paid subscription isn’t feasible right now, you can also show your support with a one-time tip via my Tip Jar here.
Thank you for your kindness and generosity—it truly makes a difference. Together, we’re creating a space of reflection, creativity, and connection, and I’m so grateful you’re part of this journey
Thank you for sharing this goodness. Even though I've been staying away from the caustic content that's coming fast and furious through all the channels, I've felt hard pressed to give full attention even to the nourishing content like this. Glad I made it back to this post. I love Prentiss Hemphill's embodied voice (and yours, too). These lines in particular affirm my own felt sense of the days since Monday:
"We acknowledge the courage it takes to feel in these times, to stay in our bodies, and to make choices that align with care, freedom, and dignity. Our collective practice is political; our embodiment is resistance."
Jay, what a beautiful practice and rich creation! I'm struck by the lines "Through deep breaths, slow with grace, we move into the space meant for us, store ease, and share." I've felt such a rush to move forward, holding my breath, pressured to create that a space meant for me. What a difference it makes to approach with deep breaths and allow the process to unfold as it is meant to, making room to store ease for myself and for others! Thank you for this poignant reminder that urgency is not always grounded in wisdom!