Little Blessings In Unexpected Places
Plus, save the date for a creative planning workshop!
On Sunday, I received a visit from what I first thought was a cricket. His chirping started midday from inside the fireplace. I was reading on the couch, feeling lousy that I wasn’t up for being outside on one of our last sunny days of fall. I spent most of the day on the couch, reading, napping, and feeling my big feelings. Then I made dinner, went on a walk, and forgot about him for the rest of the day. His chirping resumed again that night. I went searching. He sounded like he was near my desk, so I looked on the floor, on the windowsill, on the mantle. When I looked up the wall, I spotted him perched on the trim above the window. Hi, little guy. Whatcha doin’ up there? Up close, I realized he wasn’t a cricket at all but a grasshopper. Green as a leaf with delicate antennas and long, angular legs. A sign of good fortune, of good things ahead. I used a glass and a postcard to capture him carefully, just like my mom taught me to when I was young. He walked up and down the cup’s walls, using his tiny little feet and tiny beady eyes to sense his surroundings. I stared at him, and he stared back. Perhaps he appreciated having a warm and dry place to stay. But sooner or later, Kona would find him and munch him. I let him free outside into the sharp night air.
After his visit, I didn’t feel so low anymore. Had I spent the day outside or the evening out instead of resting on the couch, I might’ve missed him. On Monday, Steve and I received good news we had been anxiously anticipating, and more good news came on Thursday. I choose to believe it was him, the grasshopper, who brought me the good luck.
Wishing you the same,
Creative Planning Workshop
Save the date: Join me on Thursday, November 30 from 1 PDT to 2 PDT for a freeform, unstructured hour set aside for planning your 2024 projects and connecting with other HHC readers. My intention for this time will be to catch up with you all, hold us accountable for planning, and fuel excitement for another year of creating. I’ll send a reminder and link to join a Google Meet the day before. Can’t wait and hope to see you there!
Latest Stories
No links to share! I spent most of my work days this month editing and writing copy, and I wrapped up a story that won’t appear until the middle of 2024. It’s weird to not have anything here, but I’m also grateful for this slow down to think about what’s next—and finally finish my freelancing book!
October Mood
Monthly Curiosities
Reading: Big Swiss by Jen Beagin. My wildcard book this month is Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. Also picked up The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada and The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa at the bookstore because I was drawn to Japanese storytelling.
Listening: To this cover
Making: Drapey, comfy Bisque Trousers in a navy blue twill
Watching: This curation of 50 years in support of Free Palestine through the Palestine Poster Project Archives
Supporting: As a volunteer for Empowerment Avenue, I’m thrilled to see founder Rahsaan Thomas featured on NBC. Let me know if you want to know more about this organization and working with incarcerated writers!
Cooking: This creamy tomato and cheddar soup recipe by Molly Baz
Subscribing: Every year, my friend, Hannah, makes and delivers the most thoughtful boxes of cookies to her friends in town. She started a Substack called
to share her process so that you might be inspired to spread the joy of sweet treats with your own community.
Loved your post. Is your free Palestine posters for a world that excludes Hamas? And includes Israel? Both at peace? Asking for a friend