Writing with Juliet Iwelunmor

My dear colleague and I have this grand idea of opening up a spot that indulges everything we love. For me, my books, scarves and things. I say things because my love for things keeps growing. Sometimes it’s jewelry. Handmade kind. Other times it’s just puff puff because why not. So I love things. My colleague, spices. All sorts of spices. Now you maybe wondering what has that to do with productivity or academia. I say everything. With the way the country voted this year, my greatest advice to women if you are black as me and in academic spaces is to find yourself immersed in the things you love outside of work. Of course work. We do even at the cost of sleep. But these days what’s most important is to love life outside work. Do so for you and well live. I did so yesterday, went hiking alone for the first time. I have always wanted to do something nature like for myself and I needed to clear my head in gratitude to my God and so I put on some hiking boots and went outdoors. I was the only one of my kind outdoors. I went around a trail that lasted 4 miles and when I was done, I was grateful for life and a reminder to plant trees always.

See it isn’t always about productivity with work. It isn’t always about the science or whether what we are doing makes sense. I’m learning these days that it should be about the things you love. Emphasis, you love and yesterday for the first time in a long time, I fell in love again with my being, my grace, amidst plenty. If he could give us nature and wild trees full of interesting ecosystems, then surely he would give us all we can ever hope or dream of. 2024 was a trying year. The year that I learnt about the nature of work with a team. My colleague got me through some of the hardest times that it only makes sense that we open a spot together. Of course we are in the dreaming phase and well, it will always be the highest point of life. But imagine a space for all things I love. Just imagine if as I plant this dream, it suddenly comes to pass. Keep loving you always.