January 28 2024
Great walk this morning, with great music. 🤍🎶🤍
Author Archives: Camilla
The Path of the Heart – Monday Night Poetry
February 14 2024
Another fantastic Monday Night Poetry. I 🖤 these beautiful, creative folks. 🥰🥰🥰
I shared an oldie from 2018.
The Path of the Heart
The path back home seems littered with suffering and struggle.
What is this insane ability to cause
one’s self such suffering?
Suffering by way of the thoughts
that dart
here and there,
at times penetrating the soul as if they
were a cold, jagged knife.
When one golden day the tides of change
bring the knowing that the path
is also littered with Love.
A Love shining remarkably bright and clear,
suffering seems almost
not to have happened.
The path of Love
The path of suffering
The path of struggles
The path of Joy
The path of Harmony
The path of irritation
The path of guilt
The path of Peace.
All the same path
The path that we each travel.
Made to seem different
by way of the
degree of suffering we endure.
Made to seem different until that glorious day
that we learn
to love ourselves
and
to love one another through everything that happens.
For the things that happen will still be;
yet, the perception
of each will shift
the more the one
loves one’s self through the things.
The path of Love.
The path we all shall arrive upon one sweet day.
Oh, glory be. We shall see.
November 17 2018
Displaying the Love – Finally
February 10 2024
Finally got these hung. I think I need another row across the top.
February 11 2024
More photos hung and some rearranging of others. I’m loving the way it feels in here. The Team TLC 2023 photo is made with diamond art by my mom.
The movie wall and a hallway wall remaining.
Thank You for the How To Videos
February 10 2024
One bandaid later and I’ve replaced the sprayer head. Maintenance keeps replacing with the same flawed model that gets stuck in spray mode. Absolutely a pain in the ass to turn on the water and be sprayed right in the stomach and all over the kitchen floor. Thank you to the folks who create the “how to” videos, as I had to remove the clip and o ring. 🎉💋🎉
Poetry: The Age of Pleasure
February 10 2024
Written June 2023
The Age of Pleasure
Since the time she was a teen,
Fast and intense
Have been the path
For relationships, friendships or otherwise.
Born from messages
Received as a child
Taught, learned, observed,
taken as her own
Not seen,
Not important,
Her heart’s desires not honored.
At the young age that she is
She’s determined
To drain these old wounds
This old trauma.
She no longer wishes to live
This life from things
That happened to her as a child
Things that were done to her as a child
And the emotional presence withheld from her as a child.
With the help of a bad ass therapist
She’s doing it differently
She’s approaching relationships with fresh eyes.
Relationships in her teens and 20’s
Happened incredibly fast, unhealthy,
Withering on the vine of life.
She has learned that the part of her
That is impatient, wanting fast results
Fast results that make her feel important, seen, wanted, desired
All that nonsense is from her past, yet if feels familiar
And part of her still had been craving that,
The part operating from trauma.
She recognizes this now
And declares, “No fucking more!”
This declaration brings with it
Excitement
Anticipation
Lightness
FREEDOM
And Freedom’s just another word
For Nothing Left to Lose.
This is the time for new beginnings
The time for doing it differently
Meeting life in this moment
Not from hurts or trauma of the past
Not with biased future visions
Fully meeting this moment.
The Age of Pleasure.
New connections, built slowly, with patience
With intention, with authenticity, with clarity.
Connections with kindred spirits
Ready to have fun together
Ready to share joy together
Ready to share sadness together
Ready to share all the feels together
Ready to share the ride of getting
To know one another.
Sweet friendships
Sweet connections
Sweet lovers
Sweet partners
Born of patience, honesty, openness.
Although there will be jolts
Of falling into the ways of old
She will know the difference of
Responding to old shit
And responding to the dopamine hit
Of kindred spirit connections
When of the latter
She will fully meet that moment
With wild abandon.
She’s decided to be in this moment
On its way, slow and gentle
Or fast and intense
While at the same time, holding space for those who aren’t yet ready
May those who are ready saunter on board
This Meeting of the Moment
As we sail into the mystic. – Camilla Downs
June 13 2023
**You’re 50’s**
Garden of the Gods – New Wall Art
February 10 2024
Finally enlarged my favorite Garden of the Gods photo, taken when we attended the 2019 C18 conference. Love how it turned out. 💙💚💙
First Time and I Loved It – Karaoke
February 9 2024
And then I went to my neighbors and did karaoke and danced. Gen X in the house introducing them to some great music!! I’ve never done karaoke and that was so much fun, especially when I can dance at the same time!! 🎶🔥🎶
Wine and Paint With My INOVA Neighbors
February 9 2024
Paint night at INOVA!! So much fun with my neighbors.
Give Me One Reason – Monday Night Poetry
February 9 2024
Last Monday was exactly what I needed and I had a blast! Love these deep diving poetry folks!
The Space in My Heart
Give me one good reason
Why I should stay
When we’re together the words
You say to me
Bury themselves into the fertilizer
Of my heart
Watered with the tears that shed
When you ignore me
Sprouting, growing into the garden of you
Only to be crushed by the boot
Of your unreliability, dishonesty
Your empty, meaningless words
Supported by your inconsiderate nature
You come to me as an option
When you need replenished
When you’re lonely, sad, or confused
I am sustenance caught
In your web
Suspended, stuck
Waiting for you to come for me
I’m continually questioning my
Position in your life
I’m tempted by your tasty fruit
I know I should disconnect
My soul knows this
I want to understand you
I want to explain how I feel
But my soul knows I need someone
Who chooses me over and over again
Someone whose efforts reflect
I am wanted in their life
Someone who abundantly fills my cup
Give me one good reason
Why I should stay
Are we just telling ourselves stories?
We would do and say anything
To hang on to each other
Fiction filled stories
With pieces of truth
Patching the plot holes
Dancing to the tune of
Each others energy
Smiling in each other’s sunlight
Singing the joy bursting from our hearts
Drawn together like magnets
Is it fiction or truth?
Deep down I know the answer
Infusing myself with the strength
Of all the goddesses before me,
I close my eyes,
take a deep breath
And I
Walk away
February 2024
Inspired by Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason”
Hosted by @sidewayseightprojects and @mondaynightpoetrynv
Vulnerable with Wild Abandon
February 4 2024
Think I’ve nailed this one. I have tendency to be vulnerable with wild abandon. 🤣😂🤣
