So much of what we practice inside The Language Portal begins with pausing to listen. We become present, and the noise quiets. We stop trying to force the perfect sentence and listen for what is already there. Next week, I’ll bring some of this work into a much bigger room when I speak at Elizabeth Ocean's Catalyst event. And look at the women we'll be learning alongside! Renée Warren, Kristen Boss, Kelly Roach, Anita Guerini, Lady JB Owen, and Elizabeth Ocean are the keynote speakers, and many more women will share their wisdom throughout the week. I'm excited to be part of it, and I'd love to have some Portal Pals in the room with me. If you'd like to join us inside, drop CATALYST below and I'll send you the link.

The smoke is as heavy as our hearts here in the Okanagan. I've been quiet these past few days as friends, family of friends, and 20,000 people have been evacuated on the west side of Okanagan Lake. There is a provincial state of emergency in BC. Please take a moment to pray with me for all the people, homes, and animals affected by the wildfires in BC and in the Okanagan, and just south of us in Washington and Oregon. I pray no more homes and properties are lost ... 230 in the Quilpituk Creek Wildfire (west side of Vernon), and they are not yet able to access the loss in Summerland due to the Bald Range wildfire. I pray stillness in the air remains and rain falls gently. My family is safe and while life is uncertain and our hearts are sad, life does goes on even amidst the chaos. I was able to spend time with my son and granddaughter yesterday, go shopping and attend a baby shower for one of my best friend's daughter. And since I was in West Kelowna, I visited another best friend. (West Kelowna is directly across the lake from me, and the fire storms are raging out of control North and South of the their community). The lay of the land is hard to wrap your head around. Before I moved to Kelowna and worked in the Toronto office, I was so confused by all the colleges in the Okanagan. They were all named Okanagan College ... Kelowna Campus, Vernon Campus, Penticton Campus, and Salmon Arm Campus. The Okanagan Valley is a region in South Central BC where Okanagan Lake is surrounded by mountains. It is a four hour drive from Kelowna to Vancouver with two high mountain passes between us. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. Praying your Sunday is peaceful. Some of our smoke is from the wildfires in Washington and Oregon. Where are you in the world? Are you safe? Let us bring you into our awareness and prayers.

Grandby River, Grand Forks, BC Being off-grid for a long weekend with my best friends is always magnificent. So happy to celebrate my friend, Kath's birthday. 💜💜💜

I'm heading out in the morning for a family vacation. I'll be back next Monday for Sacred Conversations with our VIPers, and Tuesday evening for our co-writing session. Until then, I'd love to leave you with this. As you listen, gently close your eyes and open yourself to receive. If it resonates with you, imagine your crown chakra opening to Divine wisdom and simply notice... What wants to flow through you? Have a beautiful week, and I'll see you soon.

Your story is not too ordinary to matter. I asked the question on TikTok: "What gets in the way of your creative flow?" Over 9,500 people saw the video, and in the comments, one answer kept surfacing: they didn't think anyone would be interested in what they wrote, because nothing dramatic had happened to them. That's the lie many people carry: "no one cares what they have to say." Yet the opposite is often true. The most ordinary moments, the ones you assume are too small to mention, are often the ones that stay with readers longest. Not because they're extraordinary, but because they're true. And truth, it turns out, is rare enough to be worth writing down. What ordinary moment from your life do you think no one would care about, but hasn't quite left you?