Maria Giuliani

20/20 What if you were being forced into alignment Or enlightenment What if the Earth said, Ok, that’s enough... And what if you ignored the message What then? What if the Universe wanted us to open our eyes, to look, to see What if 2020 was chosen Like a bonk on the head Obvious, so even the short-sighted could understand What if we were given a choice Between 30 years of wallowing Only to awaken one day with it all figured out But with no energy to spare Or six months of sitting in your own waste Thighs deep Stuck Through, being the only way out What would you choose? If the process was the same The nervous energy, the fear The anger The sloth-like-mind-numbing monotonous doing The flicker of being The question of sunlight, of presence Before tripping back into darkness Wondering if you have the strength to climb out again And what if you climbed And you told fear to shove it What if you could learn In half a year instead of 30 Would you remain there, stuck up to your thighs Or would you start to climb? What if it was all possible - what the Earth intended - What if it still is? What if the Universe is speaking to you now? What if you look back, in 2021 Would you have seen light? Been light? Or let it slide? -mtg

This is for the INFJs out there: On Labels Labels get a bad rap. This happens due to the tendency people have to use labels as neat and tidy boxes within which we can make sense of the world and our fellow humanity. Like a mother trying to keep order in a toddler’s playroom, it can feel good and uncomplicated to be able to place blocks in the block bin and stuffies in the stuffie bin. The order helps us make sense of the chaos when we can see things as black or white it re...moves complication from our mind. The problem with this is that life exists in the gray areas, people exist outside of the neat and tidy boxes in our minds, and the labels can be limiting. As such, those labels can be harmful as they lead us to feel trapped and pinned down rather than free to jump around from box to box. And it is not only others that put labels on us, we often put labels on ourselves. Sometimes, when we find a label that makes sense to us, we grab it and put it on like it’s a new favorite sweater discovered when rummaging through a department store. We’ll wear that sweater proudly, daily, and refuse to take it off, even when it starts to smell. The sweater, as a label, makes us feel comfortable and protected. It gives us something by which to define ourselves when other words don’t seem to work. A label can feel like home. The problem arises when we get so comfortable in our labels, when others get so insistent in hanging on to the labels they’ve created for us, that change and growth can no longer happen freely. We as people are meant to learn and grow, daily, yearly, and whether it is us keeping ourselves in boxes, or whether we are being held down by others, any hindrance to our personal growth and development is an injustice to our very reason for being. However, that being said, I don’t believe that labels are all that bad, in and of themselves. Labels, when used wisely and judiciously, are actually quite beneficial. Labels can help us make sense of ourselves in a given period of time. As we try on the label, as we fit it to size, we have the opportunity to see what we like or don’t like about it. Read the rest here: https://bit.ly/3gHc3PV

Self-care is still needed, I think at this time of year, more than ever. As moms move about making their lists and checking them thrice, making sure there is holiday joy for all and holiday magic a plenty, we can get a little run down. For me, the forced staycation actually feels like a blessing. I can just stay home. I don't have to gear up the crew for anyone at any time. I don't need to entertain. I can just breathe. We all get a break. I didn't realize how much I actually... needed this until all other options were taken off the table. All that to say, I was re-reading The Secret Life of Bees, and I came across a passage that reminded me of a realization I came to earlier this year, and one I'd apparently forgotten. The time to regroup, revamp and reaffirm is now. #selfcaremama #selfcaremom #selfcarematters #selfcare #suemonkkiddquotes #holidays #downtime #staycation #staygrounded

mariagiuliani.ca

"I" and "you" are but parentheses to the unspoken. A little poeticism from days gone by, but, I like this one. #poetry #poetics #poeticsoul #poem #mtgwritings #parentheses

http://mariagiuliani.ca/books-etc/came-to-stay/