Your face in the window
expressionless
the falling yellow leaves
This is my small stone for Fiona's "Mindful Writing Day" at Writing Your Way Home. November seems to be the month when we admit summer is finally over, and get serious about writing -- some people commit to writing a novel for NaNoWriMo, some to do a blog post every day this month, or a poem a day. I have occasionally jumped on one of those bandwagons, but this year I dont think it's possible - I'm over-committed already with paying work, Phoenicia projects, lots of singing, and some travel. But Fiona's challenge for today has made me think about what I do want to do, and more specifically, about how important writing is to me.
So I want to toss that thought back to you, and ask what place writing -- or reading -- plays in your life. Do you set goals for yourself? What helps you to keep writing, or keep reading? If you need encouragement to keep going, what form might that take?
Writing has become ingrained for me - a habit, a practice, a way of life. It wasn't always that way, and believe it or not, I still get discouraged, and sometimes I get quite weary with my own voice. Nevertheless, writing is always there, and even if it were simply words in a journal, or letters to special friends (which is how I view this blog, frankly) I know I'd keep at it now, and always will. But we all need new ideas, encouragement, affirmation, and inspiration. I appreciate what Fiona and Kaspa have done, and how many people they've encouraged. Often we just need a gentle push to begin. But while beginning is difficult, it's often harder, further down the line, to keep going.
So please do write a "small stone" today, or a paragraph of prose. Imagine you're writing to a friend who loves you, who would never judge you unkindly, who wants to encourage you to express yourself and to do what you've always wanted to do -- someone, I hope, like me!
Who can resist? I have done it.
Posted by: Vivian | November 01, 2012 at 08:49 PM
oh my....11:29pm....
Two Classic Halloween
A dozen fairy princesses
turned off their wings
and climbed the steps
to the front door
Posted by: mike | November 01, 2012 at 11:58 PM