Be You

Reflections on 6 Years of Sobriety. ~ Sam Dillon

Today, May 18th, I officially have not had a drop of alcohol in my system for six years. It has been a long road, and without the support of my family, my friends and my therapist, I would likely be dead or in prison. More than likely, dead. Also, I would like to thank a doctor I knew personally (she shall remain nameless) who risked her professional career by prescribing me medicine to keep me…

The Absolutely Essential Gift to Share this Year. ~ Jes Wright

You thought that I’d say, “Your glittering presence is the only gift necessary.” Okay, yes, that is a sweet one, and yet there’s one more absolutely essential gift to share this year. Your friends will discover a sense of wonder when they use this absolutely essential gift. In fact, this little package may propel others to a whole new Universe. And—that gift—starts with you giving Art Supplies.…

Fishtailing. ~ Sarah E. Rosenberg

On the morning of November 9, I awoke to a flurry of news around me that was at once completely unexpected and also not. It shook me to my core, and I had no words to express my sense of confusion and dismay. At the same time, the experience felt familiar somehow, and a memory came to me that invited me to sit down to write this essay. On the third anniversary of my father’s death, a month after…

Inside (the Womb Garden & Me). ~ Jaymz Hawkes

A passage to the heart is an eight lane highway with many intersecting borders, rivers and creek beds. And there is a steeple, situated beside the valley in which I was born.  It is strange I’ve not noticed this—in this way—before. It’s by no accident, and it is where I’m at.  There is a house made of pure energy. The pulse is firing our arms and burning our wardrobe. This pulse is bereavement…

Not Ready to Make Nice. ~ Micheal W. Leach

Forgive me if this sounds un-enlightened, but stop telling me not to be angry about the results of this election. Stop the kumbaya appeals for unity. I appreciate your open-mindedness, and pleas that we are all one—not Republicans, not Democrats, but Americans—but I’m afraid I need to call bullshit. I was born in Couer d’Alene, Idaho, a white and rural community. When I was eight-years-old, my…

“And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” ~ Marianne Williamson Over the past few months, I have been unable to find my words. Sometimes, they felt imprisoned in the recesses of my soul. Other times, they felt so intermingled with the collective, knitted fabric of thoughts and emotions surrounding the unjust, traumatic, violent taking of…

I Am Not a Survivor: Surviving Was Not Enough to Sustain My Soul. ~ Laura Phoenix Power

I have survived and lived beyond many traumas. I’m not a survivor and I’m not defined by my survival. What I am is a woman who lives in the moment, a woman who has never stopped moving forward. I believe more in the beauty of humanity than the horrors of those who operate with malice. Each wound I’ve sustained has presented opportunities for empowerment. Some of my life’s darkest days happened…

All in a Glance. ~ Molly Begg

It is thrilling to know you are understood, and what all understanders have in common is a skill of the eye that conveys there is obviously more to you than you’re letting on. It acknowledges that unknown merely means unexpressed. To catch an eye is an opportunity. It says, “Together we are more rare than apart.” I let you take authority with that glance only because the desire to know is more…

No Regrets. {Poem} ~ Heather Higinbotham

Should’ve, could’ve, wish I’d… I stopped shoulding on myself four years ago. What’s the use of regrets?   No regrets.   It sounds so cliche But I wouldn’t have it Any other way.   “I crawled through a river of shit And came out clean On the other side”   Every time I compromised, Every time I cried myself to sleep, The promises I couldn’t keep.   Every silent reprieve When the eye of the…

Artist of the Week: Ivan Kashlakov

©️ Ivan Kashlakov This week we were fortunate to have a conversation with the talented graphic designer and artist, Ivan Kashlakov. BYMG: How did you get started? IK: Well, like most artists say “from a young age,” but if I have to be honest, it started naturally (like everything in life) with an inner urge and curiosity towards the world. At one point, there were certain things that attracted my…

Autumn Equinox: Using the Season to Beat Self-Sabotage. ~ Tamara Star

I’m sitting here in front of a fire much like the one above with a laptop upon my lap, realizing we’re within a few hours of Autumn Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere—a time of transition. Traditionally, Autumn is a time of abundant color, pumpkins and squash, heartier harvest meals and cozy sweaters, yet too often we forget that it’s also a time of fertile transition. As I sit here in the…

FOMO, No Mo. ~ Sarah E. Rosenberg

I have recently made a commitment to replace things that aren’t good for me with things that, although sometimes I have to make them up, are truly more aligned with my constitution and my sense of well-being. In keeping with this decision, I have decided that FOMO (fear of missing out) has got to go and that, in its place, I will officially be enjoying my newly invented acronym, JOLI (joy of…

Morning Coffee. ~ Doug Zeigler

Light pushes between my eyelids, announcing a new day. For a few seconds my eyes battle the morning, wanting more time to dream. Ultimately, morning wins as it always does, and I blink away the remnants of rest. A small stretch follows, soft grunts escaping me. These are the songs of age that come with the years I’ve amassed. That very same light bathes my sleeping wife, highlights and shadows…

Taking the “Mean” Out of Meaning. ~ Sarah E. Rosenberg

It’s 11am, and I’ve already found at least nine ways to procrastinate, yet again, getting on my mat for my yoga practice. The past few months have provoked me in that regard as I find myself in a constant state of struggling to find work, keep financially afloat, stay positive and find motivation to do the regular things I need to do to be healthy and sane. The demons of fatigue, self-doubt,…

Artist of the Week: Kathy Ashley of Holistic Body Basics.

This week, we had the pleasure of talking to Kathy Ashley of Holistic Body Basics about her amazing holistic skincare products and healing gemstone jewelry line. BYMG: What was the inspiration behind beginning your business? KA: It all started with some threatening health issues that began to pile up. Several years ago, I was under a lot of ongoing stress at work, and for years prior I dealt with…

City Lit by Fireflies. {Short Story} ~ Mariam Rehman

Neon heart, day-glow eyes The city lit by fireflies They’re advertising in the skies For people like us There she was under the expansive sky, dark Black pierced with a myriad of yellow lights in a city lit by fireflies. There was ambition in the breezes that entangled her soft, brown hair. Blooming femininity, youth and the ferociousness with which her pen touched paper are expressions of a joy…

Artist of the Week: Tammy T. Stone

©Tammy T. Stone This week we had the honor of learning more about the brilliant writer, artist and photographer, Tammy T. Stone. ©Tammy T. Stone BYMG: How did you get started with your artistic endeavors? TS: Since I was a little girl, I’ve always sought ways to express the rich, vibrant and confusing things happening inside me, and to give shape to the breathtaking experience of being in the…