Recently the following came through my news feed and it caused me to give it some thought. Paraphrased it said: My advice to young writers is just do it. A writer is a person who is writing, not a person who is publishing.
Over the last twenty years I have written and written. Although I have been published in more than one form, the money I have earned writing wouldn't fill a thimble. I just realized, I don't give a damn!
I don't believe I was put on this earth to make a living writing!
It is my job to inspire others to write. Let them make the money, or not. That has nothing to do with me. Personal experience tells me it is cleansing to get it out of your head and write it down, creating room for new experiences.
Just write!
Friday, April 26, 2019
Thursday, April 25, 2019
The same but different
Lately things and people keep coming back into my life, the same but different. It is like they have changed roles. I keep running into people I knew twenty years ago. It is getting a little bit freaky!
For the last week I have stayed away from Future Foundations Family Center, where I usually exercise three times a week. The place has been empty lately and it just isn't any fun having a conversation with a room full of machines.
This morning I decided to give it another try. As I entered the fitness room I saw two real live people. Yay! After awhile I realized I had met the couple before. Last year they offered classes on how to use a bow & arrow to the kids who participate in the summer program. I had a chance to touch base with them during the half hour that I used the machines. I was informed that they were going to offer the class again this year.
After they left I remembered an angel oracle card I had pulled this morning. It was: New Partner. A chance meeting is no mistake. It is Divinely orchestrated as a catalyst to set the wheels in motion for the fruition of your prayers. Pay careful attention to new people we send into your life. You will recognize them by your sense of familiarity, comfort and safety.
On the way home I began thinking about the Children's Writing Camp I had offered at the center in previous years. The last one I did was 2014. I began tossing around the idea that perhaps it was time to do another. I have learned a lot in the last four years and that would help make another camp better than the last one. Also the staff at Futures is completely new and the camp would be directed at a new batch of students.
I even went so far as to dig up a copy of my resume, which has also been updated and print out a temporary flyer for a 2019 Writing Camp.
Will I take the next step and present my idea to the staff? Perhaps.
For the last week I have stayed away from Future Foundations Family Center, where I usually exercise three times a week. The place has been empty lately and it just isn't any fun having a conversation with a room full of machines.
This morning I decided to give it another try. As I entered the fitness room I saw two real live people. Yay! After awhile I realized I had met the couple before. Last year they offered classes on how to use a bow & arrow to the kids who participate in the summer program. I had a chance to touch base with them during the half hour that I used the machines. I was informed that they were going to offer the class again this year.
After they left I remembered an angel oracle card I had pulled this morning. It was: New Partner. A chance meeting is no mistake. It is Divinely orchestrated as a catalyst to set the wheels in motion for the fruition of your prayers. Pay careful attention to new people we send into your life. You will recognize them by your sense of familiarity, comfort and safety.
On the way home I began thinking about the Children's Writing Camp I had offered at the center in previous years. The last one I did was 2014. I began tossing around the idea that perhaps it was time to do another. I have learned a lot in the last four years and that would help make another camp better than the last one. Also the staff at Futures is completely new and the camp would be directed at a new batch of students.
I even went so far as to dig up a copy of my resume, which has also been updated and print out a temporary flyer for a 2019 Writing Camp.
Will I take the next step and present my idea to the staff? Perhaps.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Your words matter
This morning a poem crossed my Facebook news feed that I was very familiar with. I remember exactly where I was when I read it for the first time. I was sitting alone in the my high school library. I was looking through a book of poems. One caught my eye and has been in my mind for 63 years. It was written by the American poet, Edwin Markham 1852-1940.
Outwitted
He drew a circle that shut me out, heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
But love and I had the will to win,
We drew a circle that took him in.
Wondering if any other words he wrote rang a bell I googled his name to check that out. I was happy to find a couple of quotes that did.
There is a destiny that makes us bothers, no man goes his way alone. All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.
And another that I found is:
We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to life.
And then I thought, the man died 79 years ago, isn't it wonderful that the words he wrote still matter!
Outwitted
He drew a circle that shut me out, heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
But love and I had the will to win,
We drew a circle that took him in.
Wondering if any other words he wrote rang a bell I googled his name to check that out. I was happy to find a couple of quotes that did.
There is a destiny that makes us bothers, no man goes his way alone. All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.
And another that I found is:
We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to life.
And then I thought, the man died 79 years ago, isn't it wonderful that the words he wrote still matter!
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Friends are family too
Family holidays are hard to get through for those of us who have lost touch with biological family, for one reason or another. That's when friends count the most. I am grateful that I live in a small town and as someone once said, I know everyone. Well that's not quite true, but I know a lot of people, and they pop up all over the place.
Just the other day I was having coffee with a friend when a lady tapped my arm to get my attention. I was surprised to discover it was someone who had been my District Manager for Avon over twenty years ago. That brought back some memories. I remember all those Avon boxes piled in her driveway, waiting for the representatives to pick them up and distribute them to customers. It also reminded me that I was a member of the President's Club at one time.
A couple days later I was getting water at an outside machine when a lady stopped by to say hello. At first I didn't quite remember who she was. Then it dawned on me that she was the lady who offered tax services in Grants. I had not seen her for many years.
There is a young man, well he isn't that young anymore, who is the produce manager at Smith's. He went to school with my middle child many years ago. He recently chewed me out because I called him James. I asked,'What should I call you?" He answered," Jimmy." It is the name I knew him by in his past life, when he was like twelve.
Smith's is a great place to find people I know and have known. It is not uncommon for me to run into someone I wrote about when I was a columnist for the local newspaper. That happened recently and I was granted a sincere hug from a man whom I had deemed as "authentic". He still is.
It is not unusual for me to find former teachers of my children and youngest grandchild among the shelves of the grocery store and other places in town. I recently ran into my daughter's fifth grade teacher at the hospital. When she asked about my daughter I told her she doesn't communicate with me anymore. I laughed when she said, " I should kick her in the butt!"
So on this special holiday I count my friends as family too.
Just the other day I was having coffee with a friend when a lady tapped my arm to get my attention. I was surprised to discover it was someone who had been my District Manager for Avon over twenty years ago. That brought back some memories. I remember all those Avon boxes piled in her driveway, waiting for the representatives to pick them up and distribute them to customers. It also reminded me that I was a member of the President's Club at one time.
A couple days later I was getting water at an outside machine when a lady stopped by to say hello. At first I didn't quite remember who she was. Then it dawned on me that she was the lady who offered tax services in Grants. I had not seen her for many years.
There is a young man, well he isn't that young anymore, who is the produce manager at Smith's. He went to school with my middle child many years ago. He recently chewed me out because I called him James. I asked,'What should I call you?" He answered," Jimmy." It is the name I knew him by in his past life, when he was like twelve.
Smith's is a great place to find people I know and have known. It is not uncommon for me to run into someone I wrote about when I was a columnist for the local newspaper. That happened recently and I was granted a sincere hug from a man whom I had deemed as "authentic". He still is.
It is not unusual for me to find former teachers of my children and youngest grandchild among the shelves of the grocery store and other places in town. I recently ran into my daughter's fifth grade teacher at the hospital. When she asked about my daughter I told her she doesn't communicate with me anymore. I laughed when she said, " I should kick her in the butt!"
So on this special holiday I count my friends as family too.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Easter memories
The very first memory that I have of Easter took place when I was a child, living in Olympia, Washington.I remember participating in an Easter egg hunt that took place on the capitol grounds. I also remember a time when my mother attached a cotton ball to the front door, making my brother and me think it was part of the bunny tail. Of course, I remember coloring the eggs in the kitchen.
I think the most important Easter memory I have is the phone call from my mother, informing me that my father had died. It wasn't a surprise as he had been ill for some time. I have always found it odd that his death happened on Easter Sunday.
I remember when my daughter was little coloring eggs to take to the church for their egg hunting. Of course the years I was a practicing Catholic come to mind too.
A more recent memory I have that includes my youngest grandson occurred when I was helping out his class as a room mother. The class was sent outside while we hid eggs inside the classroom. When the kids came back in they were supposed to find the eggs. My little grandson only got the one that was on his chair. He put his head down on his desk and cried. His friends felt so bad for him they each gave him one of their eggs.
The last Easter memory I have happened in 2009. It was the last time I was invited to my daughter's house for a family celebration. Since then Easter and every other family holiday has pretty much been spent without family.
I think the most important Easter memory I have is the phone call from my mother, informing me that my father had died. It wasn't a surprise as he had been ill for some time. I have always found it odd that his death happened on Easter Sunday.
I remember when my daughter was little coloring eggs to take to the church for their egg hunting. Of course the years I was a practicing Catholic come to mind too.
A more recent memory I have that includes my youngest grandson occurred when I was helping out his class as a room mother. The class was sent outside while we hid eggs inside the classroom. When the kids came back in they were supposed to find the eggs. My little grandson only got the one that was on his chair. He put his head down on his desk and cried. His friends felt so bad for him they each gave him one of their eggs.
The last Easter memory I have happened in 2009. It was the last time I was invited to my daughter's house for a family celebration. Since then Easter and every other family holiday has pretty much been spent without family.
Friday, April 19, 2019
By any other name
Sometimes we connect with people who we at first think are road blocks. They disrupt our lives and can cause problems in our thinking. I used to think they were road blocks, but my opinion has changed and I now believe they are simply resting places. They give us a bench to sit on and reflect on the direction our life is taking.
This happened to me recently. A person entered my life who had a totally different outlook than I did. The relationship gave me a chance to take stock of my life; to see where I was going and where I had been. Most especially, this person forced me to bring my strong points into the bright light and use them to evolve.
It reminds me of the saying that people enter our life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
On this Easter weekend I wish all of my readers and friends the opportunity to connect with someone who offers a resting place for them. Peace be with you all!
This happened to me recently. A person entered my life who had a totally different outlook than I did. The relationship gave me a chance to take stock of my life; to see where I was going and where I had been. Most especially, this person forced me to bring my strong points into the bright light and use them to evolve.
It reminds me of the saying that people enter our life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
On this Easter weekend I wish all of my readers and friends the opportunity to connect with someone who offers a resting place for them. Peace be with you all!
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Life purpose
The angel oracle card I drew this morning is Life Purpose. The advice was: The purpose of your life is to serve in a way that brings great joy to yourself and others. Don't worry about finding your purpose. Instead, focus upon serving a purpose and then your purpose will serve you.
Interesting words. I thought I was doing that with my writing, but this morning I am wondering if that is true. I'll have to think about that for awhile.
Perhaps the universe is trying to get me to understand that although it is my purpose to pass on what I experience through my writing, it is not my purpose to control what happens next. It's like a sky full of snowflakes. Some of them will land creating beauty on the earth; some of them will melt before even touching the ground.
Interesting words. I thought I was doing that with my writing, but this morning I am wondering if that is true. I'll have to think about that for awhile.
Perhaps the universe is trying to get me to understand that although it is my purpose to pass on what I experience through my writing, it is not my purpose to control what happens next. It's like a sky full of snowflakes. Some of them will land creating beauty on the earth; some of them will melt before even touching the ground.
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