ON THE PURPLE LADY AND A WISH TO BE FREE

Plus, a writing workshop for paid subscribers on 8/18!

Thank you for reading Resilience :) Psst, the next writing workshop for paid subscribers is on Sunday, August 18th (1-2pm EST.) Scroll to the end of this week’s offering for more info and to register. And now, for a teeny tiny tale — a favorite memory, a wish for us all. xx

The day we swam with the Purple Lady. Can’t believe I found these pics, snapped by my husband, Ian.

Years ago, my bandmate Tim took us to a swimming hole in New Jersey. There was a very old woman there, dressed entirely in purple—even her hair was purple! She must have walked over from the purple house we’d passed on the way, or maybe she drove the purple VW bug parked by the picnic tables. Whatever the case, I watched as she stripped down to her purple bathing suit, free and at ease in her ancient body.

I was not yet thirty. My own body was intact; it would be a few more years before it was torn apart by two babies at once, and all that came after. More years still until I’d lose a breast, only to get a new one. At that point, I couldn’t have imagined the storms to come or what it would mean to truly live a life.

We swam together—Tim, the Purple Lady, and I—circling each other as the sun slowly turned purple too.

I’ve thought of the Purple Lady every summer since, when the air gets too hot to bear, when memory takes me by the throat and I need to find water, any body of water.

Who was she? With her lilac, lavender, violet, and plum.

I used to think the Purple Lady’s secret was that she gave zero fucks. But now? I think she gave enough fucks to finally live her life exactly as she wanted.

I hope to live my life like that, too.

At the swimming hole.

A MEDITATION:

May I be at ease in my body, in my heart.

Sending you all summer love. May all beings find relief, and may we circle each other, swimming towards a brave new day.

Feel free to share a micro-memory. Perhaps a time you felt free, or a memory of a major minor character you’ll just never, ever forget.

xx Alexa

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Join me on Sunday, August 18th from 1:00-2:00pm EST on Zoom for a drop-in writing workshop for paid subscribers. We’ll say hi, do a brief mindfulness meditation, write from a tried-and-true prompt, share (or not), and off you go!

Note: if you’re unable to swing going paid at the moment and really need this workshop, just drop me an email and I’ll comp you, no questions asked. Believe me, I get it: alexa@alexawilding.com.

Thank you for your support. I look forward to connecting on Zoom. Registration below the paywall. xx