Welcome to, from the desk of Rachel Leeke!
I share weekly on love + travel, including tidbits to create the adventurous life you deserve.
My latest is 10 Years of Journaling, but you might enjoy my collaborations On Friendship, The Paradox of (Self-Loathing) Culture, and a conversation on Faith.
You can also view the entirety of my work, here.
For Mothers
For Mothers This is for mothers who do a special kind of math with 1 piece and 1 part of herself (a few) bits of what she doesn't even have some cream for the skin 2 Maggie seasoning cubes and the last $5 from her wallet This is for mothers who stay ready to pack a barrell collect their sousou and will miss a field trip but never parent teacher conference she told every instructor and the janitor too "don't be afraid to call" right in front of you in full committment to the mild threat This is for mothers who stand between the world and their child as if they never left the womb even when those same children wear the face of their heartbreak with utter innocence For those with hands dusted in flour or scented with White Diamonds at the wrist those with gel beneath the nails or gloved + sanitized for work I've seen those hands hold accountable the house office community and school For the mothers who cut a slice of pie and tuck another under saran wrap for the neighbor who couldnt make it out The ones who don't raise a fork without prayer and love to place a hand on a shoulder with a bowed head This is for the mothers who dont think a shoulder is enough and will palm your whole head with jangling bracelets composure and a plan of offensive like the Lord's personal point guard For the ones who cushion the blows of the world - who knew cerebral fluid sometimes takes human form This is for the mothers who take six things from the pantry and a little bit of butter to make a gourmet meal For the ones gone too soon but also never left and the ones who tried to outrun their demons but found them to be too fast There's no foundation, no progress no blood in the heart no breath in the lungs without you Thank you for giving more than you had. You've always been more than enough. Happy Mother's Day.
If you find solace, connection, or a moment of peace in my words, I invite you to strengthen my craft by upgrading your subscription, sliding me an iced coffee or slapping a book down on my desk.
TODAY’S TIDBIT:
Vibrant colors and signature mid-motion fluidity make Ernie Barnes's (1938-2009) work impossible to overlook. If you have yet to witness his creations up close, you have until June 15th to visit Earnie Barnes: In Rapture, the Ortuza Projects’ first exhibition of the late figurative painter.
THE COMMUNITY CORNER:
🏡 Seeking belonging is as human as breathing.
tapped into all five of my senses while chronicling his search with I Don’t Know Where Home Is.🎤 Two things are true: Megan the Stallion’s “Hiss” popped off this entire rap beef landscape, and
asks questions that need answers in Oh But When A Man Says It, It Hits.💗 With collages that give off pampered black girl energy
urges us to release the struggle and start romanticizing life. I couldn't agree with her more.LET ME KNOW:
-Do you have plans for Mother’s Day? Are you a mother yourself?
-What’s a vivid memory you hold on to pertaining to your mother?
-What traditions or rituals do you enjoy with your family?
-What do you hope children in your environment learn from you as they grow up?
Thank you for this. I will not be with my kids or my mother this Sunday so I appreciated it.
Utterly beautiful. I love how descriptive your poem is.
I am a Mom and I don't have any plans for Sunday besides hanging out with my littles. I typically post on Sundays, but maybe I'll give myself a break since it's Mother's Day.