Wit Meets Grit - Rolling up our sleeves and having fun.
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Publications and Projects
    • Accolades
  • Consulting + Project Management
    • Organizational Management + Evaluation
    • Facilitation + Meeting Support
    • Food + Farming Projects
  • Public Speaking
  • Photography
  • Stories from the Field
    • Food + Farming
    • Life + Love
    • Health + Wellness
Home
About
    About
    Publications and Projects
    Accolades
Consulting + Project Management
    Organizational Management + Evaluation
    Facilitation + Meeting Support
    Food + Farming Projects
Public Speaking
Photography
Stories from the Field
    Food + Farming
    Life + Love
    Health + Wellness
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Publications and Projects
    • Accolades
  • Consulting + Project Management
    • Organizational Management + Evaluation
    • Facilitation + Meeting Support
    • Food + Farming Projects
  • Public Speaking
  • Photography
  • Stories from the Field
    • Food + Farming
    • Life + Love
    • Health + Wellness
Wit Meets Grit - Rolling up our sleeves and having fun.
Health & Wellness, Life & Love

A Wild and Precious Life

1941264_768240966603776_1430004711_n

At first, it was hard to say exactly what was slipping away. Staring into the eyes of my 84-year old grandmother, something had changed. It is no secret, like a thief in the night Alzheimer’s has been stealing away her memories for years, but no, this was something all together worse. Aptly nicknamed the “pit-pull in lipstick” the Myra Jo I grew up always had a twinkle in her eye and fiery disposition. At her foundation was the barely contained zest for adventure, an alert awareness of every small rock and creature underfoot, a true passion for life. My friends, this is something I took for wholly for granted and what I was completely unprepared for her (and I) to lose. This disease is a reverse aging of the most unwanted kind, stripping her down to a childlike state and leaving her trapped in a failing body. Every few weeks we are all getting to know a new Myra. She is thankfully incredibly sweet and innocent but she no longer is fueled by a fire to know more, be more, experience more. So as I tucked her into bed during my last visit, I knew it was the last time she would recognize me and surprisingly more heartbreaking, the last time I would recognize her.

Perhaps it is because I have always seen so much of myself in my Grandmother that watching her fate unfold is all the more terrifying. Like shipwrecked passengers, we are left to cling to what remains of this incredible woman while we helplessly watch as her ship goes down. If I am to suffer a similar fate, I will be dammed if I don’t live to the fullest and go down fighting.
myra nikki and the bear
Whether inherited, learned, or cultivated, I have always been a passionate person. I tend to let my fire run so deep and burn so hot that it comes close to consuming me. Some days my passion fills me to the brim and I am overflowing with joy while others it is a burden that exhausts me to the point of collapse. It is almost impossible to explain someone not driven by this same insatiable passion why I am always giving just a little too much of myself and yet I still continue to seek opportunities to give more. Thankfully, I have managed to find a career in which I can direct my intensity and invest myself in the movement towards positive change that Paul Hawken’s appropriately calls the “blessed unrest”. As I stare into the fading eyes of Myra Jo, I feel a sense of urgency to carry on her torch and chase as many dreams as possible.
In the last month I have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from two individuals whose lives have inspired many of my passion filled endeavors, Will Allen of Growing Power (read my article about him) and Dr. Vandana Shiva. Both are revolutionaries effecting change on a global scale who have dedicated their lives to both celebrating and saving the earth.
Refreshingly, during both of their presentations, they referenced how their own “life’s work” was built day by day, year after year, and neither of them knew they were on the path to a revolution when they started. They did not simply decide, “Here is what I am going to do for the next 40 years to become a revolutionary leader and this is my plan to getting there.” Rather, they cultivated their skills, solved problems one at a time, and when the issues called for great change they rose to the occasion. Will Allen spoke to the time this process takes: the years and years of learning and trial and error that simply cannot happen over-night. They are after all both human, operating within the realm of existing knowledge and bound by the same limitations that we all face; they just chose to blaze the trail despite the obstacles.
The audience of these talks, similar to myself, seemed to struggle with the overwhelming complexity of the issues and noted how they found themselves paralyzed by the unlimited paths they could take. To this I say, Amen! If you are not regularly experiencing “holy shit” moments in life, then you are missing something. In my own work, I found the key is to see beyond the enormity of the challenges and instead focus on the opportunities for change in front of us. To understand the problem and determine how your skills can solve it. Let us take a moment to appreciate this as the gift that it is. Having the capacity to understand the issues, the time to debate the best steps in addressing them, and the ability to develop the tools to create change. Not everyone is so lucky.
There are millions in the world that will never have the chance to invest their lives towards something bigger than themselves. To leave a mark so lasting, generations to come will speak their names in classrooms. Whether it is poverty, illness, or death at a young age, so many that will never even have the opportunity to spread their wings. In John Green’s book The Fault in Our Stars, he explores this heartbreaking reality with raw honesty. Through his characters we are able to better understand what it could be like to have neither the time nor the capacity to realize your full potential. In this case, to be a teenager with cancer, living the years of self-discovery under the smothering certainty of impending death. The knowledge that you simply will not have time to pursue your dreams… a fear that has always lingered in my heart.
Green also acknowledges that we are allliving on borrowed time and the regardless of the when or how, “you die in the middle of your life, in the middle of a sentence.” There are very few people that wake-up thinking that today will be there last; all the more reason to seize the day.
My hope is that I can one day inspire and motivate the world through my work and write books that allow people to better empathize, understand or appreciate others. I want to motivate others to understand their own gifts and for them to invest time in using those skills to create a better place to live. Poet Mary Oliver makes this call to arms so poignantly by asking, “Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I plan to live it to the fullest, delight in the simple things, celebrate even the smallest victories, laugh at the ridiculousness, and love with reckless abandon. And of course, share all of the best stories along the way.
This post is dedicated to my dear friend Brendan O’Brien and his amazing father Greg O’Brien. Greg is fighting to hold onto his passion for journalism and is dedicated to sharing his struggle against Alzheimer’s with the world. His genuine and honest writing inspires me to share more of myself in my own stories. You can learn more about his story here: http://livingwithalz.org/a-place-called-pluto/

April 12, 2014by Nikki
FacebookTwitterPinterestGoogle +Stumbleupon

Get in touch!

Nikki@WitMeetsGrit.Com

Eye Candy

wit_meets_grit

Motherhood has been an awakening for me and I will Motherhood has been an awakening for me and I will be eternally grateful for the journey. Sending these sweet blossoms of renewal and trust to mothers everywhere and in ALL forms... but especially to my own beloved @annapaloosa ❤️
Beauty and the bees. A posy made possible by putti Beauty and the bees. A posy made possible by putting off mowing our wild yard and leaving blooms for the butterflies and bees.
Tomorrow marks another year around the sun for thi Tomorrow marks another year around the sun for this Scorpio. Thankful for every single day. I look towards the next year with a commitment to creating and holding strong boundaries, focusing my love inward to my family and myself, and continuing to invest in those who deeply appreciate and reciprocate my energy. To help me in this, I introduce you to the made-for-fairy-gardens Toad Lily. It's flower essence is said to have a spirit of shifting, change, purification, clarity, integrity, and saying "no" to what does not serve us. If it works, maybe I'll have bandwidth to start posting on IG again 😉
Summer blooms at sunrise. Summer blooms at sunrise.
Perspective. The last two years have provided it i Perspective. The last two years have provided it in spades. I've always known the people in our lives matter but in the past it always felt "safer" to be independent and keep a bit of a wall around myself. This approach also made it easier to put my career ahead of everything else. At the end of the day, society has long rewarded the "busy" workaholic, the overachiever, and the self sacrificer. I've been lucky enough to have a career I love, working alongside people I can call friends, and be able to make a difference. Yet it is even easier to overextend yourself professionally when you love what you do and the people that you serve. Pregnancy, motherhood, and this pandemic (especially the family getting COVID) all came together to give me one hell of a reality check. There have been oodles of good times, giggles, and pleasant surprises but also A LOT of work and abrupt change. I've always believed that change is good but it sure is hard when you are living through it. Despite the challenges and heartache (and because of them), I've grown to deeply appreciate the people in my life, including myself, but especially those closest to me. The amount of love, consideration, and support I've been shown has deepened my commitment to nurturing those aspects life not found on a resume. Big love to the people in my life.
A little nature therapy and floral pallette cleans A little nature therapy and floral pallette cleanser to bring some positivity back to social media.
The sweetest harbinger of winter. This year our sa The sweetest harbinger of winter. This year our satsuma overflowed with enough fruit that we were able to harvest 15 pounds to send to our friends at @growfoodcarolina (even after Wren bit into about 6 oranges before I could catch her). It was fun being back on the farmer side of things, if only for one sale.
Feeling gratitude for another turn around the sun, Feeling gratitude for another turn around the sun, although admittedly the last two years have probably aged me at least ten. Pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and parenthood have all broken and reshaped me in ways I am still coming to terms with.  To say the experience has been humbling and life changing is an understatement. It has been an incredible dichotomy of being pushed outside of myself while forced to look deep within simultaneously. I've spent the majority of my life focused on growing professionally and often ran out of time to nurture my spirit. My daughter has been a gift in so many ways, the most surprising one....her influence in helping me to take care of myself so I can better take care of others. Cheers to personal growth and self discovery no matter how uncomfortable and disorienting in can be...and to the family and friends who have helped support me while I figure it all out. Most of all, thank you to my amazing mother who brought me into this world 38 years ago and taught me what unconditional love looks like.
🌞 Happy Spring 🌞 🌞 Happy Spring 🌞
Happy Floral Friday! Thankful for farmer friends l Happy Floral Friday! Thankful for farmer friends like @feastandflora for bringing flowers into my life while my garden takes a little baby break.
Hurrication vibes. Grateful for a safe sanctuary i Hurrication vibes. Grateful for a safe sanctuary in the storm, especially now that we have our little bird. Road tripping with a 3 month old, two dogs, and a cat is not easy but somehow we made it to Greenville and back. Our nest in Charleston made it through the storm just fine (minus a few plants). My heart goes out to those who didn't fare as well, especially all of those on the islands 💓.
When a flower captures your mood perfectly. These When a flower captures your mood perfectly. These first few months of motherhood are channeling the wild and chaotic energy of the Passiflora. There is nothing like having a tiny human to put things into perspective and force you to use every minute wisely. Currently sleep is top of the list (something passion flower can help with).
Orange you glad it's almost the weekend? Orange you glad it's almost the weekend?
May Day...Beltane...Floralia. Today marks the half May Day...Beltane...Floralia. Today marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. While I may not dancing around a bonfire, I quietly celebrated the seasonal change today listening to the birds and tree frogs, admiring the flowers in the garden and feeling my darling little baby kick.
.
.
.
At 35 weeks along, we've been trying hard to prepare the nest for our little bird. Work has kept me incredibly busy, so the time is slipping away too quickly and I'm almost surprised to find myself so pregnant. .
.
.
Soon I will be celebrating a new season in  my life and one of the greatest adventures yet. Thankful to have @danfield42 by my side and incredible group of family and friends supporting us.
Yes, I'm growing more than a garden and no there i Yes, I'm growing more than a garden and no there is not a watermelon under there 😉. We are expecting a baby girl the first week in June and I'm getting excited-terrified-overwhelmed for this next grand adventure. .
.
The last several months have been challenging both physically and mentally, making me so thankful for the support of family and friends.
.
.
This is only the beginning of the journey with my darling @danfield42 and our little bird. Shout out to everyone who has showered us with love and positivity!
Spring is in the air! With a little one on the way Spring is in the air! With a little one on the way, my ability to handle the pollen or dig in the garden has been limited but it won't stop me from a good nature stroll and flower forage.
Farm Feature Friday. While my work centers around Farm Feature Friday. While my work centers around food systems, I often find myself further from the field and more on the organizational development and operations side of things. When I have the opportunity to visit farmer friends, yes even in winter, I jump on the chance to get outside and revisit farm life.

Today I had the pleasure of squeezing in a very quick visit to @wildhopefarm while in Chester, SC. Wow, what a slice of farm paradise!! Caught up with my friend Shawn Jadrnicek and met Katherine "Peanut" Belk, who together shared the plans for their new wash pack line and loading dock. This beautiful diversified fruit & veggie operation focuses on a CSA farm share (including Charlotte, NC) and one farmers market but they also host dinners, wellness retreats, and birding walks. Definitely a place to revisit when there is more time! 
Last month I caught up with Laura Mewbourn at her farm @feastandflora in Meggett, SC while interviewing her for an article. Her flowers have been featured in all kinds of amazing bridal floral images and her efforts with @lowcountryflowergrowers have really paid off. It is incredible to see how much she has in production and awesome to see her employing other new young women in farming.

Check out their great IG feeds and give them some love 🌱💓
Building community in the food system...one confer Building community in the food system...one conference, one meeting, one meal, one person at a time. @southernsawg #ssawg2019 bringing together so many inspirational people.
SC --> GA --> AL --> MS --> TN --> AR road trip to SC --> GA --> AL --> MS --> TN --> AR road trip to the @southernsawg #ssawg2019 conference with a pit stop in Birmingham to check out @jonesvalleyteachingfarm
Bald Head Island was hands down the coldest beachc Bald Head Island was hands down the coldest beachcombing of my life but well worth it to see dolphins putting on a show while we explored the odd variety of flotsam and jetsam. Throughout our  treasure hunt we reminisced about the years living on a sailboat when so many of the islands were still wild and everything was an adventure.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

The word on the tweet.

Tweets by @Wit_Meets_Grit

Social Media

RSS Wit + Grit Blog

  • Untitled
  • FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Reducing the ripple effect of COVID-19 on the food system.
  • FarmHER: How women are shaping the South Carolina food system
  • Hiring in the South
  • Before the Storm: Preparing for a Hurricane

Tags

Advocacy agriculture Alzheimers apprenticeship burlington cancer CFSA change Charleston charleston flood chsflood dirt works incubator farm EatLocalCHS Farm Aid Fund farmer policy farmHER farming farmland farm to table flooding food system food systems gluten free gluten free charleston goats health Hurricane Preparedness land-link land access live authentic lowcountry local first Making it grow nikki seibert north carolina organic Saxapahaw SC second chances small business South Carolina Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group SSAWG TS Designs vermont wellness

Archives

  • May 2022
  • March 2020
  • July 2019
  • January 2019
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • July 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • February 2014
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • October 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • March 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Helen Keller

© 2016 copyright WIT MEETS GRIT // All rights reserved //