water series – introduction

For the last few years I’ve been working on my relationship to Water. I’m now attempting to share some perspectives on Water over the next couple of months via newsletter/blog. I plan on discussing…

I’m sharing these now because I’d like to build my ideas into ongoing practices, and as a part of that I’d like to be more accountable to my ideas! I’ve been shaping these perspectives from my very specific positioning within Water:

I hold tension between the warm Asian oceans of my far ancestors and the freshwaters of Lake Michigan, where all of my grandparents chose to live. 

The vast distance between these Waters means that my stories are always tinged with disconnection and longing. This also means that my body holds stories of displacement, and so many stories of settlement and colonialism (from America and Japan) that I’m trying to unlearn.

Lake Michigan, called Ininwewi-gichigami, or the Illinios’ Sea in Ojibwe, and the East China Sea feel really different, really far apart, until you remember that all Water is connected. Which means that all Water is, at some point, **all Water**. The Lake, the Oceans, the Bays. They are the same Water, in the long, long scope of time. So I’m trying to remember that, and remember that I am also made up of Water. Remember that I’m connected to all Waters in the long scope of time. 

So thank you for joining me on this water arc. I would love to talk to others about these topics, or hear perspectives from peoples who are at different or similar positionings within Water 🙂