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Queenstown and Milford Sound, New Zealand

Queenstown and Milford Sound, New Zealand

by Daisy Rosales | May 26, 2015 | Asia, International, New Zealand, Travel

The first time I ever wished I were a backpacker was when I went to Queenstown, New Zealand. I realized something then that I had never realized before: that when you carry your stuff on your back, you’re able to see things that other people just don’t get...
New Zealand: Marlborough Sounds

New Zealand: Marlborough Sounds

by Daisy Rosales | May 18, 2015 | Asia, International, New Zealand, Travel

It’s no secret that New Zealand is one of the most naturally stunning countries ever. And I’m pretty sure the filming of the The Lord of the Rings sealed the deal for that reputation. And why not? With picturesque coasts, rugged mountains, jade-green...

daisysrosales
A first. One of our partner team members passed aw A first. One of our partner team members passed away at the age of 44. 🕊 I met him in April during our @startbrio project with his team, building and renarrating local indigenous resilience with neighborhood adolescents. Paco was quiet and incredibly kind. A bedrock of their team and my hospitable new friend. I shared that I was looking to purchase some local honey to enjoy with friends at home— the wild “nahuac” type from Ecuador is my favorite— and he drove us to visit an apiary to learn more about local cultivation and harvesting. It was a beautiful day. All along he was battling an illness which he shared with a bit of matter-of-factness, no sentimentality. I had no idea it was terminal. In his shoes I would be challenged to show up and drive a visitor to an apiary, much less to offer more rides to more fun places in the future. But he did exactly that. Thank you for giving of yourself to the end, the way that so few do. Today’s flowers are for you.
7 years today, forever to go. 👰🏻‍♀️🤵🏻‍♂️ Thank you for the ways you help me find ease and joy and meaning and connection. To be affected and affecting, not controlled and controlling. To live for restoration, to stand for healing. Everyday I’m better because of you. Happy anniversary love. 💗
Joy and sorrow have characterized my time here. We Joy and sorrow have characterized my time here. We’ve been working with two local groups in Quito for months on a program that integrates indigenous storytelling and community narration as a healing process through covid. To see the participants bravely share their stories yesterday reminded me that access and ownership are not the same. Access is taking something and putting it back. Ownership is making it yours and sharing it with others who need it too, helping them make it theirs. 🤲 As covid rates continue to rise in Latin America, Ecuador has imposed lockdowns once again. I’ve experienced in my flesh the visceral pressures of navigating safety risks, health risks, and changing restrictions, alongside our partners who laid off half their team this year. In the words of one of them, “we tell our stories to know who we are, and we take action that moves our community forward.” 🌎 I’ve received the gift of exploring nearby to better understand the ecosystem where so many of our partner communities have their roots. I find it all to be stunningly connected: care for the earth, exploration of ancestry, and the healing power of stories. Grateful to have been a guest and the countless kind individuals who have accompanied and befriended me here over the years. May restoration be yours. ✨
It was a year when the mountains we already hoped It was a year when the mountains we already hoped to scale became even taller, and more treacherous. But the things we’ve always stood for remain good and true. Generous open-heartedness. Compassionate healing. Humble curiosity. Unconditional love. Unstoppable hope. Here’s to another year guided by what we hold most dear. Happy 2021! 🕯🏔
Scenes from the weekend: A cascade of maple leaf h Scenes from the weekend: A cascade of maple leaf hands outstretched on thanksgiving. Finding ampleness and generosity by the ocean. Kitten love. Grateful for 12 years of friendship with Aaron. I wish I had more answers as we prepare to enter 2021. Instead I have endless questions and a set of convictions, and it will have to be enough. What are you most hoping for this session?🌲
“Solitude eventually offers a quiet gift of grac “Solitude eventually offers a quiet gift of grace, a gift that comes whenever we are able to face ourselves honestly: the gift of acceptance, of compassion, for who we are as we are. ... Beyond the pain of self-discovery there is a love that does not condemn us but calls us to itself.” — Parker Palmer Lately it’s been easy to find myself feeling alone, overwhelmed by uncertainty, and feeling immensely inadequate. And my natural inclination is to add to the plate: more meetings, more contacts, more promises, more impact. But instead, this past chaotic month has forced me to ask myself what is enough. It’s a self examination that requires pondering— a pause of thoughtful inquiry that doesn’t come easily when we are dampening our insecurities with more. I don’t need to tell you how long my days are or how many people we are working to support. I need to confess that staying honest with my own humanness and self awareness has been hard. I’ve turned to the wisdom of forests that have stood for centuries, watching empires rise and fall. Introspection reminds me that our eternal hope is not easily forged and therefore cannot be easily destroyed. 🌲
The moment before the world shut down, the beautif The moment before the world shut down, the beautiful town of Bukhara welcomed us with open arms I’ll never forget. Looking back on this trip, I’m reminded that things are true even if I can’t see them. Partnering with global teams can be so challenging when we can’t share a cup of tea, a breath of air, or a walk through the neighborhood. But it doesn’t mean our collaboration isn’t real. I sometimes spend all day working in the same spot at our dining table, wondering if we’ve built something that matters, that makes a difference. It’s through the subtleties that I’m reminded we really have moved forward: the extended invitation, the tearful moment, the softening of face muscles that were tight at the beginning of a call. It all matters. Don’t give up. ✨
Remembering RBG has meant more than recognizing wh Remembering RBG has meant more than recognizing what I now take for granted: commanding equal pay for my work, pursuing a meaningful profession while becoming a parent if I so choose, knowing single dads (yes!) receive support if they become sole caretakers. 🌊 Her life also reminds me and encourages me in my conviction that our life purpose goes beyond me & mine vs you & yours. Beyond just taking care of my family, important as that is. Beyond defending myself, as much as I need to do that too. 💫 We have a calling to fight for, love, enable, restore, encourage, and accompany others. It’s this daily choice that makes it possible for future generations to wake up to a reality that today scrapes the boundaries of impossible. 💗
This is 30! Entering a new decade in the midst of This is 30! Entering a new decade in the midst of a pandemic, ravaging fires, social unrest and an uneasy democracy. I’m redefining what it means to honor our days and years with what matters. ✨ Can we access gratitude at a time like this? Can we love others at a time like this? Can we hold onto hope as we work toward human flourishing at a time like this?🌊 I want my 30s to say a wholehearted yes. Sending you love from a fullness I can’t explain and peace that surpasses my understanding. 💗
California is on fire (again? still?) and no, I am California is on fire (again? still?) and no, I am not currently at the beach. This photo simply reminds me to work on that inner retreat— the place where restoration happens no matter where we are physically, anchored in our breath and the peace that has been given to us. It takes discipline to create that restorative space. It takes deep-rooted hope to return to it and experience joy. 🌊 What will you do (or not do) to rest and be found by rest this weekend?
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Disclaimer: Simplicity Relished is a for profit blog. Any company that I collaborate with is chosen by me and chosen because they fit the theme and readership of my blog. Copyright: If you see something you like here, please be encouraged to share it along with a link back to my site. All of the images and content here, unless otherwise noted or linked, is my own original work.