Monday, January 5, 2009

sign posts



Isn't it cool when life keeps sending you messages that say YES! You are on the right track. I've been reading Julia Cameron's The Sound of Paper (and can I just say that I love Julia Cameron!) and came across this, regarding a writing friend who found it difficult to live and create under her current circumstances:

"It is difficult to commit to living where we are , how we are. It is difficult and it is necessary. In order to make art [or thrive in anything, I believe], we must first make an artful life, a life rich enough and diverse enough to give us fuel. We must strive to see the beauty in where we are planted, even if we are planted somewhere that feels very foreign to our nature...If we are not willing to work this way, we become victims. If we become victims, we first become choiceless and then become voiceless. Our art dries up at the root. We must, as the elders advise us, bloom where we are planted."

Ummm, anyone else notice what is printed directly under the title of my blog up there? Yep. I've been trying to remind myself of this for awhile now. As I begin to give myself permission to just do and "be" the things I want to do and be, there is this tension I feel too. Like there's a tension of everything I am, and everything around me that I want to blame for keeping me away from doing and being these things. But, really, I know that's not the real problem. Really, I quite love my life, being a wife and mom. But how to add this other thing in seems to be the trick for me. Then I head on over to Jen Lee's, and what do you know, she's talking about this exact thing! That we'll find a lot of reasons why we can't, which is usually just a front for the real reason, which is usually based in fear, or just IS fear. Still, I'm toodling along, writing even a teeny, tiny little bit each day, making a list of supplies to get for more toodling (art toodling, supplies for which I have exactly none) and oh yeah, I need to get that new fancy camera out again. My writing class got postponed, but I am going to an all day workshop this Saturday which came up just as the class got postponed (more signs). And my wonderful husband gave up ANOTHER Saturday this month so I can do it. That makes 4. I know! He's awesome.

I just love it when it all comes together.








1 comment:

  1. I'm not quite sure which link led me to your site..I think it was Shutter sisters to Jen Lee to portfolio project, etc....but I'm glad I found it. Thanks for hitting the publish button on those-hard-to-put-out there blogs. I'm new to the blogging world and still can't get quite used to the idea. In fact, when I found out people were actually reading my first blog attempts, I took it offline...way to scary! Now I just stick to basic stuff and leave the rest of it unwritten in my mind or jotted down in my journal..... Commenting on a stranger's blog, that's new, too, and again, can't quite get used to the idea, but I'm a Christian mom of 4, turning 37 this year, and I can so, SO relate to much of what you are saying....! Just wanted to say thanks for putting it out there! GO FOR IT as you work on your portfolio project and have fun!!! It sounds like you have a great support and are definitely blooming where God's planted you!

    http://www.lifesongsphoto.com/Site/Home.html

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