KICKING IN the WALL

Today I attended a writing workshop with Barbara Abercrombie. She, with generosity, humor and years of writing and teaching experience, shared everything one needs to know to get started writing and to keep writing. I've taken many classes with Barbara and I always come away feeling encouraged and buoyed up. Barbara is every writer's cheerleader. She does not deny it is hard work and a writer has to have a stubbornness about them that refuses to give up. It takes daily practice and perseverance. The book gives a practical way to adhere to that discipline with 5 minute exercises. It's brilliant!

 

 

Reading About Writing

  Courage and Craft by Barbara Abercrombie is full of wisdom and insight. I'm rereading it again for the fourth time. For example, "You can sit around for the rest of your life dreaming about writing your stories, longing to bear witness on the page to every amazing thing you've seen or lived through, and wishing for a message from above, that bolt of lightening, some signal that will let you know now is the time to start being creative. Or you can just buy a notebook or turn on your computer and begin writing. It's that simple and that complicated."

I still wonder around my life daily looking for my passion. I don't know if it's writing or some other creative endeavor but I do know something alludes me. I've come to only two conclusions these last few days I've been thinking about this: I would like someone to just tell me what to do (which never works in reality) and I want to be in love. (Not that I don't love God, my husband and family). One of the reasons I like taking classes is because it's a lot like starting a new relationship. I feel inspired. Getting to know new people and subjects is exciting. I can't wait to buy art supplies or books, notebooks and pens. Also a class provides a contained space where you follow the prescribed curriculum, you succeed and then feel good about yourself. Why is it so difficult to give this to myself? It's a problem of having to be validated from someone outside me in order to feel accepted, thus approved of.

So now I've uncovered a root and a habit. The root is believing I'm unworthy, by whose standard I don't know. The habit is continually living in this false belief. To be continued......

Thoughts

I tried to listen 
To my heart,
But I couldn't                      
Hear her thoughts.
Her words unpenned
From the line
And scattered.

I wasn't able
To help her
Gather them,
 Strewn about
 In disarray.
 So we wait
 In silence.

What do dogs have to teach us?

On Saturday we got another dog. I fought with myself over this decision for well over a year. Why would I want yet another body to take care of? I'm a care taker by nature, by role, by circumstance, by chance. It's what I do. And do well, I might add. But do I need another responsibility? One more to feed? One more to take potty? One more to keep safe? Against my better judgement I have to answer yes to all of these. It goes against logic but not against the joy that a happy carefree being brings into my life. Was this one sent by life and chosen by me to help me understand something about attitude and perspective? I worry a lot. But Sallini Bellalini has no worries. She trusts. I think about all the things that could go wrong. She wags her tail at the tiniest pleasure. She doesn't miss a moment of the day focusing on yesterday or tomorrow. She is where she is right now....happily. What do dogs teach you?

What is your vision?

Your vision will only become clear when you look into your heart. Who looks outside....dreams. Who looks inside....awakens. Carl Jung

Quaere Faerie

Do you have a lot of questions? I know I do. I think Quaere Faerie has been around with her magic dot, stirring up curiousities and wonderments. Here's a place to post a question or a comment to a question. But don't be surprised if questions lead to more questions.


To Blog or not to Blog, that is the question. I want to write, at least I think about writing all the time. The blog is one of those spaces that allows me to be published without really being published. It allows me to be known without really being known. Is this what I like about it or what I don't like about it? I start to blog, then I stop blogging. I design my blog, then I redesign my blog. I go back and look at my blog, then I don't look at it for months. Why would someone torment themselves over blogging?