Echoes from the Wander
06 October 2025
On slowing down and tending the soil of the soul.
These have been busy times, Wanderers. I hope you are well.
I’ve been taking a couple of online courses, fighting minute by minute for time to scribble my words and plot my way—while also trying to tame my outer world: the gardens. I’ve discovered that what once took me half an hour now takes three, and I’m learning to meet that truth with patience.
Gardening and writing were the two things I thought I’d never have to retire from. I thought they would be my retirement. Perhaps it’s best that if I must loosen my hold on the garden, it leaves me more time for my soul work—writing.
Never give up your soul work. Though the pain may be great, the ache of its absence would be unbearable.
I remain grateful for this challenging corner of my world—and for the peace you bring to it.
Here’s what we accomplished last week:
Phaiku No. 15: Faith Taunts - a look at the pull between to what we owe our loyalty and what we dream to pursue … the guilt that follows and the faith that emerges.
Wednesday Whimsy #23 - where the Muse attempts to untangle a constructed language (conlang)—Threlraan.
Multimodal Meaning (Crafting the Whale’s Tongue series) - touching on how context and shared experience make ‘meaning’ happen, and how, in Threlraan, context is multimodal and shared experience—between alien species—has not yet happened.
This week … yep … keeping it loose again.
I’m shying away from commitments for a bit, but I still hope to bring the Whimsy, the Poetic Drifts, and an essay or two. My pondering plate is always full … and always needs to be shared.
Take a moment this week to tend whatever garden still grows within you—whether it’s words, dreams, or something wild you’ve yet to name.
What is your soul work, and how are you tending it?
Be well.
—Jennifer
JL Tooker
I love this. I've been simmering down my social media time and my nervous system is enjoying it. I am slowly learning how to dip in without feeling that buzz. For me, my Goddess practice, my path of embodiment of everyday magic, and my writing are my focus. If sharing writing is stirring me up, I need to go inward and recenter. I have realized that my writing gift is my birthright and is foremost a gift to myself. It is healthy to choose what I share, not some divine mission to save the world. My mission is me. It was me all along.
Beautiful read