Calming the whirlwind

…a rainy day at the gallery

I’m at the gallery today, and it’s raining…and it’s the very beginning of tourist season.

…so my day has been punctuated by deep conversations with people who genuinely care about art and hearing the story of why this gallery exist…and others in a rush to get back to their cruise ships and it feels…as if we are just tiny side characters in a story of being rushed from place to place.

This is not my first summer here, but I am trying to get re-acclimatized to the realities of being in the art gallery on days like this.

Maybe I’ll write about my week so far, to calm myself as the day goes on (I’ve ordered soup so I’ll have sustenance soon).

On Sunday after the kids got picked up, my partner and I drove to The Rosefinch Post for a wondrous book signing party for Villain, by Natalie Zina Walschots. The second book in her growing series that began with Hench.

We made it just in time to catch the author chat. I have to preface this by saying that Natalie finished writing Villain in the wondrous vintage camper next to Rosefinch. So the book and her presence are so very special to us, the folks of Rosefinch.

The author chat was magical. Natalie’s stories and explanations made me want to start reading the book that moment. She is a brilliant storyteller, and her ability to bring you into her stories is so engrossing.

We got both books (my son lost my copy of Hench, the first book, a couple years back, and thankfully I was able to overcome the silly guilt of having not read it yet and get another copy so that I can).

After the wondrous Villain event (which was an all-day thing, and I wished we had been able to attend more…my partner and went down to the lighthouse. We drove the gravel roads and arrived just before a summer rain shower.

It was also magical.

We even caught a rainbow.

And a bunny just hanging out.

But the highlight of the lighthouse visit was watching my partner explore.

We don’t get a lot of out of the house by ourselves time, because they work until 6:30 weekdays. And then we parent every weekend that our kids are in school. So Sunday was a rare opportunity to do something together outside the house.

I can feel my entire body calming down (plus I just had delicious soup from next door) recalling these moments.

On Monday I had a really great day working at Rosefinch with my good friend. I have to admit that I’m not always great at working with people.

So many folks I’ve worked with in the past have resented how…enthusiastic I am about life when I work. I remember working in a store that manufactured its own jeans upstairs, and my co-workers would tell me to “calm down” and not be so “eager”.

But I just really like to do the best possible job I can. Maybe it’s because I’m autistic, or love people, or genuinely enjoy serving the public…but I’m not always appreciated by my co-workers.

I’m also hyper-sensitive…so teasing, if it’s a love language of the people I work with, can make me cry. (And no I can’t just develop a thicker skin. I’ve tried. Mean words bypass my brain and attack my nervous system, so it would be like…being sliced with a knife over and over and then telling you to just ignore your body’s pain signals).

So often I’m best working alone. Which is why the bookstore was brilliant. And the gallery. Because I can regulate myself between customers.

But my Monday co-worker, and my bosses at Rosefinch…it feels like being home. I get to enjoy the act of making people feel that they are just where they belong.

Yesterday I was a little low energy but being able to care for the people who came in, and working with my friend, and chatting with the owner of Rosefinch (who is also a dear dear friend) boosted my energies.

At one point my boss sent me a messaged she’d received from a customer. I’m going to share it here, because it made my heart sparkle, and confirmed that being at Rosefinch is exactly where I’m supposed to be.

My heart is warmer knowing I can warm other’s hearts. It’s a sort of biofeedback loop.

This morning I woke up, I had gotten enough sleep.

I met my friend for chess.

I won the first game. (Not that we care about winning)

The tiny book explains why I lost the second game 🤣

📚📚📚#174

Snippets of Conversation

#174

Our chess game began an opportunity to have a chat with this gentleman who came down the stairs. Our chess board an invite.

I left my friend chatting with Charlie, a visitor to our small town.

It was a beautiful moment.

I think I’ll leave it there for today.

Heart,

Wake

Day 35 of 42 of posting the ocean for a friend