knowing when to end something, also means knowing when to begin something else
We’ve done it, e hoa mā!
The end of the blog. Post #250. The last dash. It’s hard to grasp that I’ve spent the last moon cycle reflecting, grieving and accepting this is the end of this haerenga.
Contrary to the previous 249 pieces of this whāriki we’ve been weaving together over the last almost five years, I think we’ll keep this one brief… haha yeahhh we’ll see how we go by the end of this piece!
I’ve shared my inspiration to start writing a blog, the therapy and mode of expression it became for me, the healing that came with it, the learnings it has so abundantly provided (some desired and some not so much but worthwhile nonetheless lol) and the connections. Ohhh the connections; to people, to place, space and kaupapa, I cannot emphasise enough how the life I get to live now can all be traced back to the blog.
To making a decision and committing to writing a blurb every Thursday, week after week, after month after year.. so why finish? why call it a day on this thing that has opened up so many doors, opportunities and connections? Well,
I’m a very different Hana to the one who started this back in Feb 2017.
And boooooy have we been through a few versions between then and now, as documented with the blog. The blog doesn’t serve the same purpose it once did when I started, even though I’ve redefined it many times throughout the journey. With each ‘redefining’ moment, the questions of ‘why? what purpose can this serve?’ became louder and louder until finally, I didn’t have an answer. Or not a convincing enough one anyway.
Knowing when to end something, also means knowing when to begin something else.
This blog has given me an opportunity to know myself at a level beyond my wildest imagination, and all by solidifying my foundation in tupuna mātauranga, in becoming self aware through/with whakapapa.
Now the foundation is set, it’s time to add to it.
To build on it. To think new thoughts, to learn and unlearn, to research, to produce fewer small pieces like the weekly blog post and go deeper into wānanga to explore what month long or seasonal, year or multi-year projects might produce?
I’m excited to find out! Even if it means calling it a day on something that has had such a huge, incredible impact on my life. Which takes me back to one of the founding whakaaro I had when I started this whole thing - thanks 2017 Hana; you may or may not have noticed but on this website, my social media accounts, when I write my name I write ‘HANA.’
— the fullstop is important. ha stay with me.
It’s a reminder to self that whatever I do, wherever I go, whomever I get to connect with, whether I write the blog or not — I’m still Hana. I’m still me. That’s probably my favourite wānanga from this journey and if you have the time, I’d love to hear yours.*
So that’s it for the blog, but definitely not for the wānanga, the internal work, the leaning into whakapapa to help navigate this world and life we have.
Funny how reaching te ao mārama or the realisation of a dream or project takes us back to the beginning of that creation whakapapa for whatever the next thing is..
Mai i Te Kore ki Te Pō, ki Te Ao Mārama. From potential, to formation, to physical manifestation.
Back to that aspirational, infinite potential space we go…
Tēnā rawa atu tātou, mō naianei, ā haere tonu ake,
Hana.
*Sometimes it takes me a while to respond but I always do! So please, email, DM, comment and share your whakaaro or experiences x