Dear Blog. I Am Okay. And On Board The Rainbow Warrior.

Dear Blog.

I haven’t forgotten you. If anything I think of you most days. I don’t think about what I want to use you for, what I need you to help me say, or even how you are doing if we are being honest.

I think about you with gratitude. Because I am writing. Everyday.

I have been writing lots of little bits and pieces that pop up on other sites about green and peace, magazines about life on the beach, I even helped write a political speech, just not so much on A Piece By Matisse.

So let me rectify that with a Vinaka Vaka Levu for letting me sing and scream and rant and rave and most of all for somehow over these years, finding a few people to listen.

Not many people know you started as a university project. A task to prove that us budding journo’s knew what ‘multimedia’ meant. (SPOILER: It’s an online article with video, photos, hashtags AND ….hyperlinks! Amazing.)

And look at us now Blog.

Beaming up love and courage from on board the Rainbow Warrior ship in the Port Vila harbour of Vanuatu. Where we have cabin. Marked ‘Campaign Crew’.

You helped me find my voice and now I’m off to help other people put theirs to the megaphone.

Hopefully you will stick around and bear with me while I Bear Witness. To not only the atrocities that humans are afflicting on the earth and on each other, but also to the strength. The beautiful.

The Island laughter after cascading storm waters, broken houses, falling trees.

The sublime intrinsic nature to be happy, no matter what you own. This is what I want to spread… “like glitter.” (I miss you Chloe Slatter.)

Dear Blog. I hope you are proud I have kept true to my baby soldier heart. I hope you are proud I have stood by forgiveness and friendship. I hope you are proud that my words don’t only belong here anymore.

We are not alone Blog. We have many more oceans to cross. And today we set sail.

Xx Matisse

[photos by Steven Lyon]