"I am writing these words as a route map/ an artifact for survival/ a chronicle of buried treasure/ a mourning/ for this place we are about to be leaving/ a rudder for my children your children/ our lovers our hopes braided/ from the dull wharves of Thompkinsville/ to Zimbabwe Chad Azania."-Audre Lorde "On My Way
Out I Passed Over You and the Verrazano Bridge"
Rest. Break. Tired. When do you rest? I mean really rest. I have been
resting and taking it easy since my surgery a couple of weeks ago. While I was away from home, while I was in Florida I was able to rest
without guilt. But as soon as I came home, I felt pressure and no one had
said anything to me other than, "Kai, make sure you rest." But when I got
home I wanted to clean, unpack, and get organized because I had work to do,
writing to do, archival research, and interviews to conduct. It is hard to
rest when rest is coupled with guilt. In fact, that kind of rest doesn't feel like rest at all...stress. Self care is so important for us
academics, especially academics of color. I watch my friends and colleagues
who are older and more advanced try to balance it all but it is
stressful. I see them work tirelessly and we know that Black women
especially die young in the academy, but I want to live long and I want my comrades to live long. I want us to
be able to take care of ourselves without guilt; that is freedom. Rest without
guilt. So how do you take care of yourself? How do you motivate yourself
when you're tired? How do you balance it all?
Please respond because I could use some tips:)
