Happy Easter! Greetings to those who celebrate this occasion and for those who do not, I wish you a lovely and meaningful weekend. For today’s post, I’d like to share a personal project called Fallen Orchids. Some of you may have already seen this in the past but for those who are new to Sundays with Stella, the subject matter seems an appropriate reflection on Easter Sunday. I recorded this video back in 2020 at the beginning of the lockdowns. It’s not as polished as I would like but I hope the essence comes through via the visuals and my narration. May these photographs remind you of the hope that exists in the world and the beauty of what remains.
Working from home and reviewing images all day made me listen to podcasts again. While my right brain is mostly doing the heavy lifting, my left side is open for meaningful pondering. Recently, I’ve been tuning in to Kate Bowler’s Everything Happens podcast. It’s not for the faint of heart. She engages in deep conversations with guests courageously speaking on the precipices of life. This week she spoke with Rabbi Steve Leder1 and I wanted to share this piece of their conversation that struck me the most:
Steve: You know, I say to people all the time, if you have to go through hell, do not come out empty-handed. That’s the best we can do.
Kate: That reminds me of my friend Sam, who is a pastor. He says, “If we cannot make it happy, can we at least make it beautiful?”
Kate’s response is the affirmation I want to leave you with, dear readers.
In the midst of life's opposing forces - joy and sorrow, birth and death, success and failure, war and peace - hold space for both. And it is in this space that we discover the meaning of life, either by creating it ourselves or by finding it along the way.
As always, feel free to leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Or, if you want to message me privately, you can reach me at stellakalaw@substack.com.
See you all next Sunday!
Kate’s conversation with Rabbi Steve Leder
The Beauty of What Remains