My Pronouns Are “We/She”
April 10, 2025
In 2020 I had an unusual accidental conversation with a young man on Zoom. We were both early for an online event and ended up somehow seeing and being able to talk to each other, so we did.
They mentioned that their pronoun was “they” and asked me if I was a 20-year old now, would I choose different pronouns?
I hadn’t considered this before. But my answer came quickly and surprised me. Yes, I realized, I would. I would identify as “we.” Not the royal We, the composite “we.”
In fact, I sort of always have. From the time I was young I felt like both me and we. Not to worry, I wasn’t mentally ill; I had a clear sense of self. But I was simply always aware of those who walk with me, as I came to refer to them. They were family. And together we were the board of ME. We all had a seat at the table and “I” was the one in charge. Still do, still am.
I think that’s why I so quickly answered as I did with the sound man on Zoom. It was fun to think about and was nice to realize. I suspect that many of you also say that your personal pronoun is also we, now that we’re thinking about it, right?
Feeling very “we” with thee,
And sending love (and a wink),
Mayet Leilani
Life Blooms Because of You
April 3, 2025
Article highlights:
- What’s your work in the world?
- The light of being seen
As I was making my bed this morning I was thinking about the relationship between fun, childlike sensibility and beauty. I reflected that the childlike perspective is one that’s open, discovering, interested, amazed. My thought was that – with this perspective – it’s possible to see beauty and delight all around me and at any time. (See last week’s blog.)Messenger
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird –
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, yet still half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
since all the ingredients are here,
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren,
to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.
“My work is loving the world…. Learning to be astonished.” Can you think of a better childlike job description for worthy grown-up work? I was riveted with the potential written into her poetic expression, excited at its truth.
I let that all sink in then reached for an old volume of my own morning thoughts and writings. As I thumbed it, my eyes fell on a message I took down one morning in early May of 2018. You no doubt will feel now the same delight I did when seeing how perfectly it fits our musings today.
I have a thought… this week, let’s each create moments of beauty by choosing something we rarely notice. Let’s see it anew. ALSO choose yourself as the subject of your deeply honoring interest – if so, I think you’ll ultimately be overcome by the wonder that you are.
From the glorious child-light within us all that notices the wondrous light in all things,
With love,
X💜Mayet MaHulili Leilani
A Recent Dream of Shoes and Santa
March 27, 2025
Article highlights:
- Ugly shoes
- Santa in the sky
In a recent dream, the world appeared as a fantasy madcap treasure chase… like the movie “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World”. There were clues and treasures in odd places like the shoe counter at Mayfair department store (where all the shoes were ugly!) Or at the complaints desk in a basement where the line was long and people were loud, whiny and starting to get ugly.
In each such place in the dream, my madcap teammates were trying very hard to find the clues for the treasured objects. I, however, seemed to stand aside, not participating in the fun. I was just observing the chaos with raised eyebrows until, for instance, the shoe counter girl struck up a conversation with me.
“All the shoes are so ugly,” I bluntly observed and she responded in lowered voice, “Oh not true! They appear to be, but look more closely.”
When I did I discovered my feet to be suddenly coved with the most incredible handmade shoes I’d ever seen.! When I looked at her in shocked delight she smiled wisely before turning away.
Then off we went to the next adventure point. At each place there was someone who showed me the secret to seeing the beauty in the mess or chaos. Each time I felt like I did when I was five or six on Christmas morning, all a-tingle.
In fact as I was beginning to wake but still dreaming, I remembered being five, coming home from a Christmas Eve movie with my family. I remembered that leaving the theater my dad bent down to me, pointing to the sky, saying “Look! There goes Santa on his delivery rounds, see the sleigh? There’s Rudolf! And look, Santa’s waving at you!”
And I saw it all! There was the sleigh flying, Rudy’s nose beaming, all the reindeer weaving through the sky, the huge bag of presents in the back of the sleigh and Santa waving just to me and heading to my house next! I felt wonderful, all alive inside and out.
In part, the point of the dream was about finding the amazing, the beautiful, even in a world full of chaos. However, the real point of both the dream and the Santa story is about body chemistry. It’s about fostering that child-like capacity of imagination and sight that creates the body chemistry that allowed me to see the wonder in the skies.
For our well-being we need a creative, robust and determined frame of mind that aids the body to produce positive anticipation and even joy instead of dread and fear or fatigue and illness.
I admit that’s doctorate level coursework, but that’s why we all got our Master degrees in Spiritual Approaches, right?
I’m doing my best to keep my mind strong, my eyes on the good as well as the challenges, my hands in the magic and to let my heart be free. And I’m doing my best not to lose sight of wonder. I think I’m doing pretty well in this, most of the time. How are you doing?
Though it can be up and down, I know that you’re also doing your best to achieve the same.
We’re in it together, dear heart,
Lovingly,
💜 Mayet