26 Comments
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Summer Koester's avatar

Hello fellow, Alaskan Writer and selkie! I love this because hibernation is my nature and the incoming creep of light and doingness of spring perpetually stresses me out. Especially felt up here in Alaska!

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Angie Kelly's avatar

Oh my gosh hi! I love finding other Alaskans anywhere haha. Yes absolutely, I agree. The seasonal shifts in mood and energy are so much more intense. I still get stressed out when it’s too sunny because I feel like I have to do everything at once.

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Summer Koester's avatar

💯 thats my biggest beef with sun here. The pressure!

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Sam Messersmith's avatar

This piece felt like an exhale. Thank you for sharing. And thanks for the YouTube rec!

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Angie Kelly's avatar

I'm so glad you liked it!

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Jane's avatar

Just love this piece and so glad I found your writing!

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Angie Kelly's avatar

Aw thank you! I am so glad you're here!

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Josh Liveright's avatar

Watching the snow today and feeling into all of it.

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Angie Kelly's avatar

I love that. Wishing you happy snow gazing and a nice hot drink to keep you cozy!

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Esme Fae's avatar

Beautiful! This is exactly how I feel about winter. I used to look at it as a dark, depressing, boring time of year - but now I savor the darkness, the quiet, and the ability to turn inward for a time.

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Angie Kelly's avatar

I love that! It is a nice change of pace if we are lucky enough to be able to slow down.

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Alexander's avatar

Beautiful 🙏 I cannot get enough of poetic and heartfelt reminders to slow down ❤️

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Angie Kelly's avatar

Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it!

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Readwrite&blue's avatar

“Dark is where it all began”. The Bible says it “Evening past and morning came, marking the [next] day” indicating night is before light…so what you say resonates with that. I appreciate what you wrote…maybe you didn’t use the word “gratitude” but in essence, you express I deep sense of gratitude for what the moment is at the moment, not a discontented yearning for something not ready to be. Though as a knitter you know things start with a stitch in time and in time and with more stitches something very beautiful comes into being-if I can say “stitch” in reference to knitting :) would it be better to say a “knit in time” and with more knitting something very beautiful…” Anyway, love the experiences you share!

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Angie Kelly's avatar

I am really glad you liked it! And yes I totally agree. It is a practice to just be where you are and be grateful for it without looking for something more. "Be here now," as Ram Dass always loved to say.

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Bart Bounds's avatar

Great stuff. By your photos I am guessing we are neighbours. Yukon.

Winter is the tome to rest and go deep.

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Bart Bounds's avatar

Cool. Or freaking cold, I should say.

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Angie Kelly's avatar

We are! Yes definitely, especially up there.

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Cynthia's avatar

Oops, typo: WILD places.😅 or Wile E. Coyote.

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Cynthia's avatar

Nice writing. We think alike. I love Winter, actually, especially in wils places. True serenity. Winter blessings to you and all who read this.

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Angie Kelly's avatar

Thank you so much, I’m so glad you liked it. I totally agree

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Kristen Beck's avatar

This is lovely, peaceful. You are wise beyond your years. Is the coyote in any of those pictures?

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Angie Kelly's avatar

Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it, and thanks for always being so supportive of my writing :) No, I didn't get any photos of the coyote because it was too dark out. Maybe next time! I do see them up there a lot.

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Martin Urch's avatar

Great job, Angie! I love your introspection: “We chase the light so hard we forget that darkness is a vital opposite.” I wrote a Substack post at the winter solstice that reflects the importance of integrating darkness into our experience as a counterpart to light. I’ll paste the link, and hope you enjoy it.

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Angie Kelly's avatar

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I do think it's really important. If we never take the time to rest and reflect, we can never grow.

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