Category: Writing
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Pivot 2…
Creatives lay their souls bare when they usher an object of beauty from their private world into a public one. We are called to birth (yes, it is that long and difficult) a one-off thing and then share it with an audience greater than one. Patience is key. Sending our work to flight too soon…
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Pivot…
We think life runs in a straight line. But the dash between a life’s beginning and ending years, as posted on gravestones, is really a rectangular box that, when enlarged, reveals hills and dips and even backward steps of ragged years. Those detours and redirects signify an interesting and engaging life. Many blips in my…
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Command Z…
I made a mistake while writing recently. Let’s face it, mistakes abound while in the creative frenzy, when the pure joy of tapping on keys ushers in that flow zone. No problem, though, since a press of two buttons and presto, change-o, it is undone. Undo. What a perfect invention. I cringe at the memory…
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Out Out Damn Spot…
Forgive me for the total misuse of Lady Macbeth’s guilt-ridden appeal as she scrubs her hands, but those words keep popping into my own head while seeking a clear sightline through 2024. Like eyeglasses that constantly smudge from grit and grime of everyday living, that vision is blurred by negative self-talk, dream-squashing thoughts, and reluctance…
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Little Drummer Boy/Girl…
While drumming with the Joy of Djembe Drumming Ensemble, I feel peace wash over me as we send harmonious vibrations up and out. I hold visions of all peoples connecting via a common thrum within. A heartbeat. A need for love and connection. Acceptance of all. How glorious that vision. My human mind tells me…
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Smiles Breaking Through…
I’ve been sharpening my sensory muscles to seek joy and beauty. Despite the worrisome, bothersome, and downright scary state of our current world, gladness peeks through, if we pay attention. Try this: look at your world right now, not focusing on anything. So many things beg for your eye’s gaze. Don’t think, don’t look, just…
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Dial Up…
I have a tiny journal in which I write a sentence each day in response to a happiness quote, reminding me to focus on the good. One recent prompt encouraged me to look at past experiences with a happy heart, to fill my life with joyous memories. Training your vision toward the smiles and laughs…
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What’s the Deal?…
My writing life is shifting from a fun way to spend some time to pinpointing focus to the best book only I can write. It means stacking hours upon hours, to the exclusion of many things. It means to believe so fully there is nothing else I’d rather do. It means to turn off the…
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Pick a Side…
One of the many things I gleaned from the recent conference I attended was the distinction between those who are bent on destruction and those who champion creativity. It is one of the many catchy dualities into which we love to divide the world. Night owls and morning people; cold-natured, hot-natured; extrovert, introvert; blue or…
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Just Breathe…
When I am rankled by small everyday disturbances or overcome by world events, I remind myself to breathe. Just breathe. I use it as a prayer or meditation, repeating “Breathe in Peace, Breathe out Love.” Sometimes it takes a few cycles for me to believe it, but eventually the breath slows, my mind relaxes, and…