The last couple of weeks have been full of great people - so many great people! We've hosted friends from Africa, connected with friends from the Middle East and India, and caught up with friends from across America. We heard inspirational speakers, met new people, and I've had deeply touching one-on-one conversations with many. These people have energized my spirit and I find myself jotting notes of wisdom I garner from them as I go.

As much as I've been energized inwardly, I came to the end of my time in Washington, DC physically drained and exhausted. My body, often the wiser one, has told me to stop with the onset of a cold.

So now, hibernation.

I found my way up to Maine in between winter storms and I'm now staying in a cozy home, looking out my window at over 3 feet of snow. I'm doing a training in Conscious Social Change with a partner organization, Global Grassroots. The home of Gretchen, the founder, is filled with handmade furniture, plants, books, and memorabilia from her travels around the world, all making it feel like a semblance of my own home. Our training involves, among other things, elements of self-care and mindfulness, bringing me back to a sense of balance and rest, both of which I badly need. I now let myself tune in to the winter season, shut myself into this comfort, and hibernate from the world for a bit.

Here are some photos and bits of wisdom I've collected from all those lovely people over the last couple of weeks:

“Sharing achievements creates competition, but sharing vulnerabilities creates relationships.”

“Prayer is great for bringing inner peace and strength, but it doesn’t change anything outside. It is up to us to act and make change from that inner place.”

— The Dalai Lama

“The word ‘agree’ comes from the same word as ‘symphony.’ It is not the same instruments that are playing, or even the same notes, but they are still making something beautiful.”