This is my first post since the passing of my sister, a woman who will be missed by many.
She left this life from her own bed, in the farmhouse she had lived in for the last 30 years, surrounded by her loved ones. As I sat by her bedside on that last day, I reflected on the life she had lived. She gave of herself and the more she gave, the more she grew, the more she loved.
She and her husband were married at a very young age and according to stats, the chances of staying together were slim. They were married for 44 years. Her life wasn't always easy but she never gave up on others or herself. She was a strong woman, no pushover, who set goals and worked diligently to accomplish them. She loved her children, adored her grandchildren, supported her widowed mother, and reached out quietly, behind the scenes to others in need.
She had fun - loved to go to yard sales and browse for bargains she didn't need - for together with her husbandd, their hard work had won a financially stable life. She travelled, made friends in the Carolinas who stayed in contact with her until the day she passed. Her laughter was contagious.
I could go on but I won't. I needed to write this so I can continue on with my blog.
Love you forever, sister of mine.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Getting Started
I am new to writing and I hope I'm not be too presumptious to tackle the nasties that accompany writing. Anyway, having one book up on Amazon, I'm no longer a newbie and will take the plunge. We writers have to pay our dues.
What I mean by that is we have to go through the nasties and take our tumbles into the various traps all writers tumble into at one time or another, the chief of which, in my own experience, is self-doubt. The talk runs something like this: will the plot hold water? are the characters real? what will the readers think if I do this or that? Have I done enough research?
You get the picture. So, I circumvent my way around the first hurtle by ignorning the self-doubt and pushing on. Then comes the second one - this has been done before, it's not original enough, it will put readers to sleep which is fine if they happen to be insomoniacs. This is the point where I test the waters with writer friends and my trusted readers. What do you think, I ask, will it hold water? And, trust is the ultimate word here, they always come back with the truth whether it hurts or not. If its okay, I push on, if not I begin to re-twig.
I believe I am not alone in this. I've read enough blogs to know other writers go through the same thing - a few variations, no doubt, but you get the picture. So, if you are a new writer (I'm on my second book) I feel for you. There's a lot of work to be done. But knowing it is half the battle so, go on, go for it, for one thing I know, many people attempt to write and the majority (believe it or not) start but don't finish.
Perserve new writers and you will get there. I tell myself this every time I sit in front of the blank page. Good luck with your project.
What I mean by that is we have to go through the nasties and take our tumbles into the various traps all writers tumble into at one time or another, the chief of which, in my own experience, is self-doubt. The talk runs something like this: will the plot hold water? are the characters real? what will the readers think if I do this or that? Have I done enough research?
You get the picture. So, I circumvent my way around the first hurtle by ignorning the self-doubt and pushing on. Then comes the second one - this has been done before, it's not original enough, it will put readers to sleep which is fine if they happen to be insomoniacs. This is the point where I test the waters with writer friends and my trusted readers. What do you think, I ask, will it hold water? And, trust is the ultimate word here, they always come back with the truth whether it hurts or not. If its okay, I push on, if not I begin to re-twig.
I believe I am not alone in this. I've read enough blogs to know other writers go through the same thing - a few variations, no doubt, but you get the picture. So, if you are a new writer (I'm on my second book) I feel for you. There's a lot of work to be done. But knowing it is half the battle so, go on, go for it, for one thing I know, many people attempt to write and the majority (believe it or not) start but don't finish.
Perserve new writers and you will get there. I tell myself this every time I sit in front of the blank page. Good luck with your project.
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Hopes for the New Year
As always, the New Year has found us. According to some, it won't next year as everything comes to an end in December - good news though, it's on a Friday so we all get the weekend off!
Now, on to more serious matters - our hopes for the New Year. Hope is mysterious. She (I don't know why I want to assign the feminine, feel free to choose the masculine) hides well, buries herself under the cares and worries that each one of us carries every day. And it seems, when everything closes in on us, she buries herself deeper and won't come out with any amount of coaxing.
However, when we turn our back on her, get busy with facing what we don't want to face but need to face, up she comes from those hidden depths. She fills us with visions of glorious sunrises, meaningful encounters with those we love and who love us, leads us to others we don't yet know. Compassion joins with her and our eyes our opened to those less fortunate than us, who bear greater burdens and yet deep in their hearts, hope struggles to free itself.
Our hopes, like ourselves, are unique but I suspect we do have a lot of common hopes as we journey into 2012. May all our buried dreams, hopes and loves surface this New Year. And, if you are so moved, weigh in with your hopes on the blog.
Happy New Year!!!
Now, on to more serious matters - our hopes for the New Year. Hope is mysterious. She (I don't know why I want to assign the feminine, feel free to choose the masculine) hides well, buries herself under the cares and worries that each one of us carries every day. And it seems, when everything closes in on us, she buries herself deeper and won't come out with any amount of coaxing.
However, when we turn our back on her, get busy with facing what we don't want to face but need to face, up she comes from those hidden depths. She fills us with visions of glorious sunrises, meaningful encounters with those we love and who love us, leads us to others we don't yet know. Compassion joins with her and our eyes our opened to those less fortunate than us, who bear greater burdens and yet deep in their hearts, hope struggles to free itself.
Our hopes, like ourselves, are unique but I suspect we do have a lot of common hopes as we journey into 2012. May all our buried dreams, hopes and loves surface this New Year. And, if you are so moved, weigh in with your hopes on the blog.
Happy New Year!!!
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