EPISODE NOTES

JUNETEENTH (Federal and Minnesota State Holiday)

Before exploring Mediterranean Wisdom with Emily A. Francis, I acknowledge Juneteenth. This commemorates the day enslaved people of African descent were informed that they were free under the Emancipation Proclamation. From the Council For Minnesotans of African Heritage website, the earliest Juneteenth celebrations began in 1866 in local African Heritage church communities in the South. Us folks in the North, Midwest, and Western United States learned of Juneteenth during the Great Migration, where 6 million Black Americans were enticed to move north for work from about 1916-1970. 

In January 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. In January of this year, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill recognizing Juneteenth as a state holiday. 

Here is a link to 10 ideas to commemorate and celebrate JUNETEENTH.

Mediterranean Wisdom with Emily E. Francis

“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?” – Rumi, a Sufi and Persian Poet

As Rumi describes above, Emily is letting the Mediterranean life live through her and shares her wisdom to help us savor our lives. The Mediterranean lifestyle is one of the world’s healthiest lifestyles and is known in the West through the famous Mediterranean Diet.

Emily invites us to live simply, mindfully, and naturally to nourish our bodies and souls. I start this conversation with a quote from Emily’s fifth book, The Taste of Joy: Mediterranean Wisdom for a Life Worth Savoring. Emily is in her third year of living the Mediterranean lifestyle with her family on the European Island of Malta.

She is keenly aware of the stark difference between Atlanta, Georgia, where we are in our American Democracy, and where she and her family live now. This makes it easier for her to highlight what we need to bring joy into our lives to develop a life worth savoring. A bit of salt made from the sun, the wind, and the sea brings out the flavor of what we eat. Honey secrets help us adapt to new locations. Making our own dressing engages our senses, and one can never learn too much about figs and other essentials like good people to make life worth savoring. This conversation is packed with nuggets of goodness.

Emily dispels the American myth about the Mediterranean Diet with a definition she has observed from the Maltese people and now lives herself. She says the Mediterranean Diet misrepresents what the Mediterranean people live for food, fun, family, and faith. And they love sunshine. Those working in offices have snorkels, swimsuits, and other items tucked in their cars to weave play and enjoyment into their workday. They jump in the sea during lunch to enjoy the sunshine and then return to the office to finish the day’s work. Lots of ideas here.

We learn the limitations of what Emily was taught about happiness and explore what it means to love someone unconditionally. “In Malta, people aren’t climbing all over each other and trying to keep up with the Joneses. They want you to succeed,” says Emily. She uses the analogy of lighting a candle and using it to light another’s candle, making the light shine brighter and more prominent as a collective. There isn’t a finite amount of love, joy, and happiness. The more joy and happiness we can bring, our lives and those around us will expand.

In our first conversation, we got a taste of joy as Emily talked about her move from Atlanta, Georgia, to Malta and how that experience changed her and her family’s life. Unexpectedly, Emily found her soul in Malta when her husband Scott and their two daughters, Hannah, almost 11, and Ava, 9, moved. They took a mammoth leap of faith in 2020, landing exactly where they needed to be, a sight almost unseen.  

Current Realities

I have been asking myself if I have found my soul in the place I live with my family in Golden Valley, Minnesota. It is a tricky question to ask. With the remnants of smoke from the Canadian wildfires hovering in our outdoor breathing spaces lately and the third year with drought-like summer conditions starting, I crave the coolness of rain and crisp fresh air in the early morning on my walks with Letty.

And yet, I love my family and friends. I love mentoring and elevating others to do their soul’s work. I love Minnesota, even as we reckon with Friday’s news. “The U.S. Department of Justice presented a new report detailing a “pattern or practice” of misconduct within the Minneapolis Police Department, marking the beginning of what is likely to be a yearslong process that requires the city to enact further reforms.” 

U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland and other officials read the scathing report, validating what we have all known for generations. The “MPD uses excessive force, including unjustified deadly force. MPD unlawfully discriminates against Black and Native American people. MPD violates the rights of people engaged in protected speech. MPD and the city of Minneapolis discriminate against people with behavioral health disabilities when responding to calls for assistance.” To address these findings, the Justice Department has 28 ways to address the systemic issues so that senseless killings of people like George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers will never happen again. 

Real change doesn’t happen unless we get the ugly truth in front of us. The underlying cause of discrimination is built into our institutions and culture. I am hopeful for the re-envisioning of policing and addressing our needs as a connected people. I am not naïve, even though I sound like it here. When we reckon with our past and get to the ugly truth, we can understand the harm and generational pain we have instilled, stop the pain, and create better lives for everyone out of all of this pain.

I feel that positive change is afoot in Minnesota. That is why we are continuing to live here. The harsh treatment of black, indigenous, and behaviorally disabled people by the Minneapolis Police Department is going to stop. Police reform will happen, no matter how messy the process is. We can share power in our work and how we parent and lead and bring out the light in our souls. I know because I am being the change I wish to make in the world and you can too. Like Maya Angelo has said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Ignite A Spark

A spark in my soul ignited as I read Emily’s book and decided to explore ways to bring the Mediterranean lifestyle into all of our lives, wherever we live—being intentional with how we carve out each day. As Emily suggests, remove the engrained tracking of every step and ensure I incorporate physical activities into every day. The possibilities are endless. I felt such joy in this meaningful conversation. I hope you get a taste of joy from Emily, inspiring you to change your life and how you lead. You can integrate the Mediterranean lifestyle into your life by living simply, mindfully, and naturally to nourish your body and soul as we create a better world together. Listen to five suggestions on how to get started.

Also, Emily has an audio version of The Taste of Joy: Mediterranean Wisdom for a Life Worth Savoring, where you can hear the speaker with a Maltese accent.

I invite you to take risks or do adventurous tasks below. Then, apply self-compassion and welcome in appreciation. DOWNLOAD