Dream Pillows and Boundaries
“Some herbs just know how to listen.”
Millie Charm and I spent the morning weaving chamomile into dream pillows.
She told me they hum when the moonlight touches them.
I believe her. Some herbs just know how to listen.
Sometimes, I wish I had learned how to listen to my own dreams sooner—not the big, shiny ones, but the soft, trembling ones that whispered “please don’t forget me.”
I used to write on a website that felt like home. A space for the struggling and soft-hearted to gather.
I poured myself into that space, and when I hurt people—whether by mistake or from my own unhealed parts—I punished myself. I took away what I loved.
First writing, then photography. That’s been a pattern for me. Self-abandonment dressed up as accountability.
But these diary entries… they keep me here. They hold me responsible for staying open, for returning. Even when it hurts. Even when I want to give up. Especially then.
Because I know now:
I love the words I write. They’re not polished, but they’re pure.
They come from the part of me that still wants to live fully.
Still wants to be hope. Even if nobody trusts the over-hopeful ones.
I’ve learned that large empathy doesn’t come from perfection.
It comes from pain. From surviving. From watching others suffer and refusing to look away.
I’ve been the one who’s loud and messy. The one who says too much, then gets quiet after. But there’s power in honesty.
There’s power in saying, “This is what broke me—and this is how I show up anyway.”
Empathy is my business now. Not because I want to fix people, but because I want to witness them.
Because I want to help them feel seen.
That’s what the Grove is for. That’s what these workshops are for.
Reading circles. Art-making. Movement. Stillness. Big feelings with soft landings.
And if you feel like others ask too much of you?
It’s okay to say: “I don’t have more to give. I have to heal first.”
That’s not weakness. That’s wisdom.
I can’t fix everyone. I can’t fix you.
But I will stand beside you while you fix yourself.
I will cheer you on. I will brainstorm with you. I will hold the light while you climb.
That’s the big sister energy I carry.
Not bossy. Not perfect. Just someone who listens to your dreams without judgment, even the ones you’re scared to say out loud.
✨ Make Your Own Chamomile Dream Pillow
(Note: Be sure to check with a parent, caregiver, or guardian—especially if you have allergies or sensitivities to herbs!)
You’ll need:
A small piece of fabric (cotton or linen works best)
A pinch of dried chamomile
Optional: lavender, rose petals, mugwort
Ribbon or thread
A whispered wish
Steps:
Cut the fabric into a square (about 4x4 inches).
Place herbs in the center.
Whisper something you're holding—a hope, a fear, a feeling.
Fold and tie or stitch it shut.
Tuck it under your pillow, or keep it somewhere soft.
Rest. Listen. Some herbs hum back.
Chamomile doesn’t fix the world.
But she keeps the dream warm until you’re ready to carry it again.
🌼 Call for Cozy Creators: One Week Only!
We're inviting artists and writers of all ages to share your cozy chamomile creations:
Draw Millie making her dream pillows
Write a dream you’d place in yours
Photograph your hands making something soft
Or reflect Rosie Charm’s little sister energy—what big feelings look like when they don’t fit in your chest
🖼️ Submissions will be featured in the Wildflower Gallery.
💌 Under 17 will only be first name, last initial for safety. If you’re 17+, you can include your name and socials to be credited!
Submit by: Friday, April 26
Send to: HelloAuntCAnna@gmail.com
Subject: Chamomile Submission – [Your Name]
So if you're tired, I get it.
If you're loud sometimes and quiet after, I get that too.
If you're not sure where your dreams went, maybe start by making a pillow for them.
Tuck them into something soft. Let them hum in the moonlight.
You don’t have to carry it all today.
You just have to not give up.
And if all you can do is draw one flower, or write one line that says “I’m still here,”
That’s enough.
Always enough.
—C’Anna
Big sister to the dreamers, wildflowers, and ones who feel too much