Grace’s Newsletter

As I hiked in the morning on my own I felt the warm breath flow over my pink lips and meet the cool Fall air. I thought about how the air in me commingled with the air outside of my body. It stirred into one and then new air filtered in and deep into my lungs. Grateful for my working lungs. Grateful for the clean, crisp air. Later that day in the car, the more tears rolled down my face the more my breathing became shallow.

February 2, 2022 - Melting Snow It falls and sticks to everything it touches. It permeates cold and at the same it can also warm when molded in a certain shape. It melts under the sun's rays. It comes in many forms; wet and heavy, light and powdery. It shimmers like glitter as it falls in tiny specks in rays of light. It is both magical and destructive. The particular snow that I saw just yesterday was leaving its remnants, water, on the sidewalk as it melted.

My mind has unthawed and now the Summer has my mind beginning to seethe. Creative energy is beginning to flow once again. First it was the sounds. The other morning as I walked the dog, over the noise of the birds chirping, I could hear the sound of a child playing the recorder. The same song repetitively. It was nearly 8am. The sign of a long day - started early by this free-from-school little fellow. Next it was sight. The morning sun peeping out through the terrace at the coffee shop.

Ever heard of Joe Pera? Well, I’m not him… but you should check him out. My name is Grace McConnell and this is a space where I write about my thoughts on spirituality and the earth we inhabit. I’m trying this thing where I go on daily walks, journal about my observations, and contemplate what creation reflects about a creator.

Like a gust of wind it knocks me back The lumps in somone’s lungs feel like rocks in my own The same ones that filled hers until she could only gasp for air It makes me filled with Hate; a heavy rock to bear

Originally written 8/27/23 Alana Chen is a young woman from Colorado who after coming out as lesbian to her religious community, was coerced into conversion therapy. Alana ultimately lost her life to suicide. This chilling story of a young woman gave me pause as I reflected back over my spiritual life. Listening to the documentary podcast about her life, ‘Dear Alana’, helped me realize that I have religious trauma to process.

It runs warm through my veins And shines a spot in my heart untouched by all the other whims of life There is an urgency to create yet a timelessness when an idea strikes The moment of resistance brings an idea to a crashing halt Perhaps later, not now And so, many ideas sit on a shelf in my mind and coursing through my veins Waiting to be picked up and dusted off Waiting for that moment of magic to strike again and bring it back to life Thanks for reading Grace’s Newsletter! Subscribe for...

A little less than a year ago, I accepted a Substack Pro deal for a significant amount of money to publish on this platform for a year. Today, I’m walking away from that contract and shutting down my account. I’ve exported the email addresses of everyone who has subscribed and will add everyone, for free, to whatever platform I decide to publish with next. I might also take a break from the newsletter hustle. I’m not sure, I’ll see how a couple of other things shake out.

Hi all, I’m writing to tell you all a little more about my book, PLEASE MISS, which will be published and out in the world a month from now. I’m hoping to persuade you to pre-order a copy, which you can do from Seal in the US, and Daunt in the UK.

There are too many registers of the sexually explicit.