I don’t have much to say these days. My days are full of a flurry of actions and decisions that move me a little further toward completion. I dive into my bed every night, exhausted yet satisfied knowing that I showed up as fully as I could. I have been listening to and consuming work that has made me feel very excited about film, writing, and healing my heart by creating.
Here are some things that I found profoundly inspiring recently:
Toni Morrison Talking Her Shit
“Sometimes you don’t survive whole, you just survive in part. But the grandeur of life is that attempt, it’s not about that solution. It is about, you know, being as fearless as one can and behaving as beautifully as one can under completely impossible circumstances. That’s what makes it elegant. Good is just more interesting, more complex, more demanding… We are already born. We are going to die. So, you have to do something interesting that you respect in between.”
“It’s Not About You” by Michell C. Clark
“Sometimes their resentment has nothing to do with what you’ve done, or who you are—it’s about what they’ve decided that you represent.”
The After You Podcast with Ehime Ora
I’ve been appreciating this After You Fail podcast by Michell Clark. In this episode, Ehime Ora discusses the ways her spirituality and creativity help her overcome the shame and guilt that failure breeds. She leans into accountability and grace to heal rather than punitive thinking.
Advice from Afterstun editor Blair McClendon
BIFA-winning editor Blair McClendon talks us through his editing process, Aftersun, and his advice for young filmmakers.
Moonlight — Swimming Scene
”At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gon’ be. You can’t let nobody make that decision for you.” — Juan
Akwaeke Emezi’s Spell, posted by @itswalela on Instagram.
Thank you for this list of things that have been getting you through ✨
That Toni Morrison clip gets me every time. Whew!