This week was, undoubtedly, one of the most difficult we've experienced as a nation in decades. I won't write too much about the ins and outs of what happened - there's been plenty of that elsewhere - but I do want to take a moment to remind you to keep yourself in a space of hope, as much as you can. If this means insulating yourself a bit, I encourage you to do it. There is a lot of NOISE right now, and unfortunately it's coming from both sides. If you need to step away for a minute, do you boo! There's no shame in taking a moment to restore yourself, your mind, and your heart.

As for me, this weekend has been spent doing just that. I realized that I'd been in a doomscrolling spiral for days and that I needed to take a break. So, I sat down and wrote a short letter to myself on Friday night, with the reminder that this weekend was to be dedicated to things I love and that make me feel good. I left it on my coffee table so it was one of the first things I saw when I sat down on my couch Saturday morning, and the visual reminder that I needed to take care of myself helped me stay away from social media, the news, and anything else that wasn't nourishing to my spirit.

There's a tendency to think that self-care = selfish, especially as it has become more commercialized. But true self-care allows us to take care of others as well, whether it be our family, our spouses, our friends, or the strangers we meet as we move through the world. Even those we never meet can be impacted by our joy. When I practice violin, an act that lifts me up, who knows who else is being lifted up as they hear the music floating up the stairwell? I guess my point is, you never know how you're impacting someone else's life, even people you never come into direct contact with. I really do believe joy has a ripple effect, and so it's our responsibility to generate as much as we can everyday, but especially during times like this. 

So take time. Rest. Read a book. Dance. Meditate. Make a delicious meal. Take a nap. Spend time with those you love. Journal. Laugh. Create something. Take this time to give your mind and spirit a big fat reboot. 

Here are some interesting things I stumbled across this week...

+ A new app has created a 3D visualization of San Pier Maggiore in Florence, a church which was demolished 250 years ago.

+ That quickly reminded me of an essay that found ages ago and loved for a long time about the many layers of Rome. It's a long read, but super fascinating.

+ This oat butter recipe looks so good and like it's slatherable on ALL THE THINGS. Plus it's quick, easy and of course...vegan. 

+ This article combines two of my favorite things = a great "life pivot" story (especially if the person in question is middle-aged or older) and fungi!

+ Did you know that there's a bucatini shortage in the US? I didn't either - but this delightfully written story tells you why. Back when I was a kid, my grandma sometimes made her baked mac and cheese using bucatini instead of elbow macaroni, and it was always my favorite version.