When I first became acquainted with cannabis in 1973, I was a young poet attending the Bread Loaf Writers Conference on a grant. One night in Vermont, under a sky ablaze with stars mirrored in a still pond, I took my first toke--and my heart felt like it had broken free. Up until then, I'd been an angst-filled teenager, burdened by questions with no answers and feelings too big for my skin. But in that moment, I felt a sudden, luminous peace. It was as if something inside me exhaled for the first time. I didn't yet understand what that experience meant. It would take another four decades until I realized: cannabis is medicine. And that moment by the pond wasn't just a teenage rite of passage--it was the beginning of a long and subtle healing. Over the years, I began to explore the plant with intention--through tinctures, topicals, flower, and conversation with others who'd also walked this path. My partner Mark Schulze and I eventually felt compelled to gather what we'd learned, not just from our lives but from scientists, farmers, healers, and historians. That's what led us to create Nectarball: The Story of Cannabis--a documentary born from curiosity and the desire to offer clarity, context, and compassion to a subject still tangled in stigma. The greatest lesson cannabis has taught me? That the body and mind are allies. It helped me move from pushing through pain to honoring presence. It softened my sharp edges and heightened my awareness--not to escape, but to connect. Now, at nearly 70, I'm still riding my mountain bike fast, with finesse earned through time and experience. Cannabis didn't slow me down--it helped me tune in. It's been a quiet guide on the long road to living well and living true.
Gaining deeper self-awareness was a profound lesson from my experiences with cannabis. Initially drawn by curiosity and the cultural mystique surrounding its use, I discovered its ability to magnify my internal states. This manifestation was not just psychological but somatic too, teaching me to pay close attention to my body's reactions under different strains and setups. For instance, certain strains heightened my anxiety, while others promoted a sense of calm and focus, revealing how sensitive my body and mind are to subtle changes in environment and substance. This understanding led to a broader perspective on wellness and personal health. It underscored the importance of mindful consumption—of anything, really—be it food, media, or medicine. Recognizing the unique responses I had to various strains of cannabis made me more attuned to how I consume other things that affect my mental and physical state. It's a testament to how personalized and attentive we must be towards our own health care and lifestyle choices, ensuring they truly align with our personal needs and conditions.