Borrowing words of others
In today’s post we share the work of other artists that have piqued our interest over the last month. These stories, poems and quotes inspire us to write from the heart. We shared something similar back in 2024.
Mitali’s Dialogue
Community
Last month I threw a big graduation party for my high school senior K. As I put together the guest list, I was reminded of the community that we have built around us. It has been a bumpy journey for us as parents - raising a neurodivergent kid in Silicon Valley has its pros and cons. But through it all I have been grateful for the people that we have surrounded ourselves with - who have been a source of strength when times got tough and a source of joy as we celebrated small and big milestones together. Through this journey I have had the fortune of encountering a diverse set of folks who I would have otherwise not crossed paths with and each one of them brought a different perspective to our life. Community has been the backbone of our lives and each person’s stories and experiences has made our own lives richer.
“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than walk alone in the light.”
~Helen Keller
When I read this story about The Human Library (that is now in 80 countries!), I was reminded of why it is so important to share our stories with each other in order to understand and accept one another.
Advice
June was graduation month in the US and the internet was full of articles and videos of famous people imparting advice to new graduates. I love reading them - even when the speeches are often filled with cliches.
This Instagram post on a speech given by Andrea Gibson in 2022 touched me as the message felt applicable to me - someone mid-career still trying to figure out life and her journey through its ups and downs. Andrea Gibson was an American poet and activist who passed away in 2025 at the age of 49. Here is a video of the commencement speech they recorded in May 2022 for their high school if you want to hear it in full.
Peers
My kids are getting ready for a big transition this school year. One is starting high school in August and the other is starting college in September. One piece of advice that I often give them is to be thoughtful about the people they surround themselves with. Research shows that once kids become middle-schoolers, peers have a lot more influence on who they end up becoming. These two pages from the book “You Are a Badass Everyday” by Jen Sincero states this succinctly with humor.
Gifts
Friends and family have been asking me about graduation gift ideas for my high school senior. This article by Molly Hankins - A True Gift Is Never Yours - about gifts and the gifting economy resonated with me. Gifting is not about the person receiving the gift but the bond that is forever created between two people from the simple action of one person choosing to be the giver and the other person the receiver.
Molly’s words were inspired by Lewis Hyde’s 1979 book The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property. Lewis Hyde is most famous for inspiring the Burning Man’s gift economy.
Kinnari’s Dialogue
We recently transitioned our little one from a full-time nanny to preschool. As a result of that, the last few weeks have been busy. We had gotten used to the nanny taking care of the mornings with our toddler without our help. With her gone, my husband and I were back to negotiating who is responsible for the mornings, pick-ups and meals based on our work schedules. This change and with work ramping up in intensity, I have been in a state of being always on, busy and exhausted on most days.
This is perhaps why I’ve been drawn to the notes I share below - they’ve made me pause and reflect on what I’m prioritizing and who I’m becoming. It’s a reminder to not normalize this current state and to continue to seek out ways to slow down.
The thing I most say to my daughter on a daily basis (besides I love you!) is “hurry up“. I say it probably about 10 to 15 times a day. I’m always rushing her. From one thing to the next. I feel this in my own body and I worry that I’m passing it on to her. Every other mom friend I have feels this way too. Coming across these words from Nicola Jane Hobbs made me wonder if it is possible to get to this unhurried state of being as a full-time working mother. Does it come down to getting better at prioritizing rest and peace? How does one do that while juggling work, kids schedules, meal prep, and the dishes that start to pile up as soon as you are done washing them?
On another note, a former manager quit Google after 15 years. She plans to take a few months off before figuring out her next adventure. I shared the two notes below with her as inspiration to completely decompress before jumping back into work mode again.
What is inspiring you this summer?