personal journal adorned with varnished oyster shell, dried altar flowers, yarn, freshwater cross pearl, shells, ribbon, a ceramic cow, upcycled crosses, a resin charm made by naomi, coffee stains ୨୧ spritzed with perfume and hugged with incense smoke ୨୧

“i made this to encourage myself to start writing again~it’s a weird subject for me: i went to a really intense arts high school for creative writing and have been comparing myself to that person ever since.
when i graduated, the real world set in- there was much less time to write and there i was, less interested in dissecting my experiences through words and more interested in simply surviving. i’m learning that it’s okay i cannot replicate the passion that once woke me up each morning. i would spend hours scribbling down everything i could. every circle i found myself in downtown, every conversation, every night spent at new friend’s houses: my journal was in my lap. my school pushed me into thinking that if i didn’t pursue writing, i would essentially be selling my soul. selling my authenticity. selling my worth. cutting myself short. they enforced into my brain that writing is what i must do. only six years later am i breaking that mindset and not pursuing writing as a career. it feels more free that way. i haven’t written much in years anyway. the 45 journals i have filled to the brim stare at me everyday, no longer mocking me but proud that i’ve found other things.
here’s to trying again and again and again
no matter what”