131. Let’s Lift Each Other Up

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Find Sue Ellens artwork at www.sueellenparkinson.com or connect with her on instagram @sue.ellen.parkinson. And the same goes for Savanna! Find more about her practice at www.savannawonderwheel.com or connect on instagram @savannabeing. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

And another part of a champion is it's just a pure celebration of your successes. They're right there with you. I mean, it's sort of like this deeper understanding that we are all connected and every time one of us succeeds and breaks free and actually does what we want to do, then we free everybody a little bit. Welcome to the Little Gifts Podcast. This is Sue Ellen Parkinson. And I'm her granddaughter, Savannah Wonderwheel.

SPEAKER_01 0:32

And we're on a journey together to find deeper meaning and magic in the day-to-day.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

We're so happy to have you join us.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Hey grandma. Oh, we're going. We're going. Good morning. Hi. Good morning.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

Hey, little gifters. Hi. Took us a while to get this all rolling this morning. Lots of spinning wheels going on.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Yeah, we've been in the land of spinning wheels, which sounds a lot more magical than it is. The reality of it is we're just looking at a computer screen and watching a wheel spin. But the land of spinning wheels sounds a lot more fantastical. Yeah. Maybe I'll have to remember that next time I'm watching one.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

I'm sure it'll be sometime soon. Yeah. Well, maybe we should just like drift off into meditation. Mm-hmm. When we're watching the spinning wheel, say that's uh that's a little cue for us to take some deep breaths and go into another level of consciousness, which we're about to do right now.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Oh my gosh. Well, this is a fun one because we're together, so that's always fun to get to record when we're sitting next to each other versus hundreds of miles away from each other. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

Savannah came down to visit to help me out with some stuff, and she's also been socializing with me. So we went to my poetry group together yesterday, and we're gonna go see some other friends today. It's been really sweet.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

So we were at your poetry group yesterday, and it was just so sweet for me to get to see you and all your ladies together, and I just adore all of them, they're so great. And then, you know, as you do, we started talking about them. And there's one woman there, Carlin, who is kind of the elder of the group, and just seeing all of your admiration and respect for her and the the way that you all just watch her so intently and listen to her so intently, it really, it really moved me. And then we were talking about her, and you were talking about how amazing she is and how supportive she's always been to you, and it kind of led to us thinking about talking about champions. Yeah, it led us to talking about the people who bolster you and how powerful it is to have those people in your life, really, is what we were talking getting into.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Critically important. I mean, and and it's sort of like often an overlooked form of love, you know. Carlin, the way that she will sort of bless people with her insight into them, she'll speak, it's sort of like she'll tell you what she sees before you see it in yourself, or she'll tell you what she sees when you're floundering. And and by what she sees, I mean the best of what you have to bring. And it's it's just meant the world to me throughout my adult life to know her and to have that. And I always think back to when I was a child, my friend Debbie's mother was like that, and she would encourage me to trust my intuition and just do my art, all those things. So, you know, that those voices are rare, we don't hear them enough.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Yeah, I mean, I think kind of to your point that the the people that come when you're going through something, and maybe you're not going to somebody asking for advice or anything, you're just like going to someone and processing kind of thing. And the people that just have it's not like they say a ton, but it's just like a very kind of to the point like acknowledgement of who your true self is, and like they really see you and see what's happening and just give you those little lifts. It's so huge.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

Yeah, it's not like an advice giver. They aren't advice givers, they're people that see you, see some quality, some gift that you've got, and they they just yeah, that's it. They see you, they acknowledge it, they often tell you what it is, and then and and just having that, just being seen, you know, whatever little gift, whatever little spark you've got going on inside yourself really makes a huge, huge difference.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

So this is putting you on the spot a little bit, but do you remember an instance of uh when that happened between you and Carlin or you and anybody?

SPEAKER_00 5:03

Um well, I I remember when I first started teaching soul collage, and it was kind of amazing. I remember the first class, all these sort of um, oh, the extraordinary ordinaries walked in the door. And I was thinking, wow, this is quite a collection of people that are being drawn into this. And you know, sort of wondering if I was up to the task. And also feeling on some level, you know, that that's the other part of this is that you know, your soul knows, yes, this is what I'm supposed to be doing. But often out in the world, you have nothing, you may have no experience, you know, but your soul knows that's what you're supposed to do. So, um, and Carlon walked in and she looked at me and she said, What's going on for you right now is that you're learning that you're a teacher. That was it. That was just the little thing. And because I have such a deep faith and trust in her as a human being, I thought, oh, uh-huh. Yeah, yeah, she sees it. But she's always been such a champion of my work, you know. And and another part of a champion is you don't have any sense of competition or resentment or jealousy. It's just a pure celebration of your successes. They're right there with you. I mean, it's sort of like this deeper understanding that we are all connected. And every time one of us succeeds and breaks free and actually does what we want to do, then we are, then we f we we we free everybody a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

Absolutely. I mean, I fully believe that. I think it's true in so many realms, whether it's in creative realms or educational realms or physical realms too. That's like a big, you know, I don't have like a slogan for my business, but I feel like if I did, it would be like freeing your body frees everybody because it's you have the ability to to be there for other people so much more fully when you are freer in yourself.

SPEAKER_00 7:17

Yeah, it really ripples out all these little things. They're all it all comes together as kind of a practice. Well, and another champion that I've been thinking of since we're about we're gonna be going on a pilgrimage, folks. We're gonna have to record on our pilgrimage.

SPEAKER_01 7:34

Oh, we are. That's gonna be in France.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

Yeah, we'll we'll record there. But another thing I was thinking about is this wonderful woman in the group, um, she's an astrologer, I think a pretty well-known astrologer named Ruby Wolf. And she has given us all this incredible gift of looking at our charts and telling us what transits are gonna, what's gonna be going on astrologically when we're uh on this journey. And so I want to say without even knowing Ruby or ever having met her, just from reading and listening to these different, what would you call them, interpretations or astrological readings? Astrological readings. Um, I know that she is a champion of the sacred feminine and probably of all people.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

Yeah, it's just so sweet. When you hear someone talk about something, whether it's about you or about another person, but you can hear there's just a quality to the way they deliver things that is so uplifting that feels so good to hear. Again, regardless of whether it's being talked about me or you or somebody else, it just feels so good to hear somebody talk about somebody else in this way that you can tell they they want nothing but to help bring this person up more and lift them up more. Yes, and give them some kind of bolstering. And it's not to say that they're not acknowledging anything that might be difficult or challenging because that's that's there too. But they're doing it in a way that feels so like, yeah, this is difficult, but you can do it. Like it's difficult for you because you're the one who's gonna be able to get through it. So we'll link her info in the show notes because if you're wanting an astrological reading, she's great. But it's it's just been really fun to hear that. And it's been making me think about this kind of again in in correlation with going to this poetry group of the way that we can really choose to talk about each other and to each other and be intentional in it and and try to do that for each other because it's so powerful. And being on the receiving end of it, it's not to say that I don't feel like I don't ever try to do that for people, but being on the receiving end of it is just such a good reminder as to why it's important to effort in that direction because it just is so helpful to to hear it from someone.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

It really, it really is, and I think it's important. Another thing, they've sort of made these specific statements. It's not just a vague statement. And another quality of these people that are that are champions is they don't really help you necessarily. It's like they they they help you by saying, I see you and identifying what your strength or gift is, but they don't go out and do stuff for you. It's like they have faith in you totally that you're gonna do it, that you are gonna succeed. And that's somehow conveyed too. It's like they don't eliminate the struggle, the struggle's still there. Unfortunately, it goes on and on, but but it's just that that sort of faith, yeah, you're gonna do it.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

And I think that by not, and like I'm just having this realization as we're talking about it, even though it's something I've probably heard people say before. Um, but it's like by not giving the advice, by not saying you should do X, Y, Z, or I think it should be this way or that way, it shows that you have a confidence in the other person to figure it out, to make it happen, to do whatever it is. And so if instead you just say the quality or the trait in the person that you think is part of part of what's gonna help them figure it out, that's enough. You know, it doesn't have to be I think you need to do X, Y, can, Y, and Z. It can just be, I think you're so amazing at X, Y, and Z. I've seen you be amazing at this before.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

Yeah, and I just love this idea of of everybody having their own unique gifts and everybody coming together and and having their gifts recognized and receiving them and letting people bring them forth. You know, if we all could just exercise our gifts, you know, so many of us are caught up in doing stuff we don't even want to do or shouldn't even be doing. But yeah, it's just uh we're gonna create a better world.

SPEAKER_01 12:04

Well, and I'm even thinking just on like a more surface level, like when you're walking down the street and somebody's walking down the street and you say how much you like their outfit, or if you're with somebody and you see two people having a good time together and you walk by and someone just says, Oh my god, it looks like you guys are having such a great time together. Oh my god, it looks like you guys love each other so much. Like, you know, that moment when that happens is so like it's such a specific feeling. And I'm sure just hearing it, you can like kind of feel it in yourself, where it feels so good to just have a little recognition in that moment. And it's a reminder of like, oh yeah, I am having a really good time, or like, oh yeah, I do really love this person, or oh yeah, I do think I look really cute, and that's like something to feel good about, or the opposite of that, where you're like, man, I felt like I looked like shit today. So that's amazing. Somebody sees something different than what I'm assuming is happening, and I think it's I'll just add to that. I've there's a lot of conversation around, you know, we're trying to bolster things that like I think how do I want to say this? Because it goes both ways. It's like when you're bolstering personality traits, right? Or the somebody's ability to do something like your artistic prowess, that's something that you potentially were born with that, just being something that you are more naturally inclined towards, right? And so it's like complimenting that or giving acknowledgement to that or credit to that is, I think, really important. And there are spaces where it's like we don't need to be doing that as well. I've just heard a lot of people talking about how the society it's important that we be moving away from complimenting someone based on their body versus like their outfits, right? Or based on their eyes versus their like something they've decided to do with their eyes, you know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:56

Well, I'm just find myself being very careful when I describe somebody in a loving way. You know, we used to always just say you're so beautiful if you're a woman. And now I say you're so wise. I'm just kind of trying to expand the vocabulary of what how we describe our how do we describe women. Yeah, I want to say too, I'm just when I'm thinking about this whole champion thing, that my dad, even though I had difficulties with him, he always saw my abilities as as an artist. And I remember when I first landed my good, my first good paying job back when I was, must have been like your age, I'm thinking. And uh, it was in a publishing house, and this the production director had hired me, and I got called into the morning meeting and to introduce myself, and they asked, they said, uh, are you from such and such a agency, advertising agency, you know, because it was graphic design. And I said, No. And they said, Well, where did you go to school? And I didn't go to school anywhere. And it was just like one of these like all-time embarrassing moments where I had no credit. I I had brought in a portfolio and showed her and talked to her, but I really was self-taught, basically. So anyway, I came home and I called my dad and I said, Oh god, I just had this horrible experience. I wanted to crawl under the table or something. But but like in a dream, the table was this really thick glass. Oh no. You know, I mean, uh there was no escaping this humiliating experience. Anyway, anyway, my dad said, and my dad was uh, let me see, he just said, uh, oh, screw him, you're a natural. And I thought, oh yeah, right. I'm a natural. You know, it sort of like uh gave me all all the credentials that I needed right there. Yeah, that's so sweet. Yeah, I love that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

Anyway, I'm looking at your little note sheet because you you made some notes, which I love that about you. Yeah, I always do that. But you have on there that it's a great spiritual practice, and uh I just want to talk about that because I totally agree.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Uh-huh. Yeah, it's so overlooked. This idea of how can I give somebody a little dose of of it's not even really confidence. It's it's you're giving them faith, you're you're bolstering their faith or something. Because I really do think that we know in our heart of hearts, everybody knows what their gifts are. It's just that recognition, that little pause and recognition of getting it from the outside world is so important. So if we can practice being one of those people, it means the world. I mean, I I'm trying to do that in my art actually for women everywhere.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

Yeah, and I think it's one of those things of acknowledging the thing that maybe isn't always seen or the thing that isn't obvious, right? So if somebody does something for work or something, of course they're probably gonna be good at it. And of course, you also want to acknowledge that and and give that credit. But you know, I think for me, sometimes it's the the acknowledgement of the things that I don't feel like I as readily am seen for or as often am seen for that really feel like the more impactful because it's like, oh, you see the part of me that I that I maybe don't see of myself all the time, and the part of me that I don't think I am showing to people as much. And I think that's kind of where that spiritual practice can come in because it's a question of can you observe that wholeness in a person versus just seeing them for the thing that they do most obviously? Does that make sense what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 18:06

Yeah, it totally makes sense. And it's sort of like acknowledging the invisible almost. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:13

And I feel like at least for me, that's where it feels like that spiritual practice more. Cause at least in my own spiritual practice, it's like that's where I feel like I'm the most when I'm the most rooted or grounded in it, is when I am seeing that presence of spirit in the moments that are the least likely. You know, it's that magic in the mundane, it's the animism in the world around us that we don't always see or that's easiest to stop seeing. And so when I can see that, that's when I feel like I know I'm I'm I'm in it. Yeah. And so I think that's probably the same with people too.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Yeah. Yeah, it's the this acknowledging the invisible, making the vis invisible visible. I just what flashed into my mind was I went to a wedding. Gary and I went to a wedding recently of some friends who are in our age group in their 70s. And it was so fun to go to a wedding instead of a memorial service. Oh my god. But anyway, anyway, um, there was this wonderful cook there. Oh my goodness, she was just amazing. They had it catered, and she was doing all this stuff by herself. And at the end, we we stood up and applauded her and toasted her, and you could tell she was really surprised, and yet, you know, it was so appropriate to do that. I mean, she had contributed so much to the festivities. Oh yeah. And yet, it and yet, how often are those people acknowledged, really? The little invisibles that make our worlds go round. So thank you to all the champions in our lives.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

And and once again, a big kiss to you, Ruby Wolf.

SPEAKER_01 20:07

Yeah, and on that note, I'll just say we're so excited and honored and humbled and all the things, but our retreat sold out. So 2026 is officially full, and we are gonna get a wait list going for the possible 2027 pilgrimage that's gonna happen. Yeah, it's not just a possible, it's gonna happen. It's gonna happen. So if you were thinking about this one and just couldn't make it work or were feeling like, oh, is it a crazy thing for me to do? Don't worry, you've got another opportunity to do the crazy thing.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

You've you've got more than one opportunity because we're gonna do several next year. Yeah, we uh and and one of them, one of them's gonna be a Magdalene, but the other one is gonna be a Sheila and a gig.

SPEAKER_01 20:54

We're letting the cat out of the bag. There it goes, the cat's all over the place.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

Yeah, we're gonna go go tour Ireland and go see all the Sheila and a gigs that we can. I love it. It's gonna be so fun.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

So get your name on that wait list and we'll let you know before we let anybody else know. So you got a little gift, Savannah? Yeah, my little gift is gonna be. I mean, getting to hang out with you this time has been a huge gift, but my little gift is gonna be that I also got to see my other grandma. I got to hang out with grandma Nina. Oh, and it was just so sweet. She drove an hour out of town to come meet me. We just hung out and had like a two hour long lunch, and we're so wrapped up in conversation that we didn't even hear a three car crash that happened literally 10 feet outside of the window that we were sitting next to, maybe 15 feet, but like quite literally three cars were in a full total collision right outside. window that we were sitting next to and we didn't notice it because we were so just in our in our own little bubble of conversation and then we went and did some just window shopping and went to the goodwill which is a favorite pastime of mine to do with my grannies and I got some really great pants for six dollars which is such a good thing. So that's my little gift.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

We are thrift store junkies aren't we know it just can't stop. It's so fun anyway well I'm yeah I celebrate all the grannies that's that's wonderful I'm glad you got to spend time with Nina. What was I gonna say? What's my little gift? Well obviously it's been great having you here but I think what really um touched me too was listening to Carlin yesterday at our poetry group she read everybody a little children's story. I can't remember the name of it can you the other way of listening? Oh the other way of listening and it was just so touching it was just so so sweet.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Well and she's turning 88 later this month right yes and so we had a little birthday cake for her and yeah there was just something about watching her as like I kind of mentioned the elder of the group just reading all of us this children's story that she gave a little spiel about how much she loved it and she found it in her 40s and it's been one of her books that she's read over and over again. And she just every page she turned it had these amazing simple illustrations but she would turn the page and read it and show all of us the picture very slowly and then turn the page and read the next one and you know I kept looking up and looking around the group and just watching all of you just like fully wrapped your attention was 100% on Carlin and it was so so precious. I just it made me cry.

SPEAKER_00 24:06

Well we love her so much she is so precious to us and uh she means the world to us. So yeah many thanks to Carlin and all the Carlin's of the world I know there's quite a few of them out there then they really are literally the backbone of community these amazing women well is it goodbye little gifters.

SPEAKER_01 24:29

I guess the other thing I'll mention is that our community care circle this month will be July 26th yeah Sunday 26th and I'll have to do it in the morning this time so 10 a.m instead of oh 5 p.m okay um all right so yeah come join us for that and till next week until next time and I love you Savannah I love you grandma and we love you little gifters. I love gifters if you're a lover of the Little Gifts podcast please share that love with the world leave us a review or give us some stars wherever you listen to your podcasts and while you're at it you could send this episode to someone in your life that you know could use some TLC. Word of mouth recommendations are the best marketing a podcast could ask for and every recommendation means the world to us. To keep in touch you can find us on Substack or Instagram at LittleGiftspodcast and we host a monthly community care circle on the last Sunday of every month that can be found through our Substack. You can also send us an email at Littlegiftspodcast at gmail.com and as always all of this info and more can be found in the show notes. And we want to give a special thanks to Robin O'Brien for gifting us her music to use for this show. Thanks for being on this journey with us