I figure: if we do land acknowledgments to start something as small as a meeting, shouldn’t I incorporate one into my new life here in the home I just moved into?

I found this secondhand mirror that speaks to me of my name for this place, wrote this message and hung it by the front door so I literally see myself in it whenever I go in or out:

Welcome to Heartwell Tower.

I acknowledge that my beloved home here is built on the unceded lands of the Massachusett and Pennacook tribes, whose people and ways still live among us today. As temporary steward of this place:

I promise that I will keep learning and speaking truth about how my neighbors and I came to be here, the injustices of the past and present that are part of that story, and what justice can look like for the future.

I promise that I will honor the beauty of this place where I am so privileged to live today. ❤️

PS: I’ve written to the two tribes whose land I believe this to be, asking their guidance on how they would like to be acknowledged and whether there are other forms of healing and repair that they seek. No answer yet; but as the mirror says, I’ll keep learning and sharing, so I promise to let you know if they do respond. In the meantime, I truly welcome feedback from friends with wisdom to share, as always. ❤️