Today's Writing prompt: This November, I will write....
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Today's audio is ready for you to write-along with now!
The tree that is beside the running water is fresher and gives more fruit.
Saint Teresa of Avila
Welcome, one and all, to November - and to the beginning of the end of And Now You Write.
It is a sacred time, this beginning-ending. This conclusion and this invitation to a fresh start.
It brings to mind other beginning-endings that taught me how to be powerfully present wherever I was an whatever was happening.
There is something sacred in the discovery and recognition that the end is a beginning all its own: that we stop grieving for what we lost and become curious about what is.
Here, listen to what I mean:
When Marlena died, I became mother of a stillborn baby. I became an expert in infant loss and grief. I stopped being expectant and became a griever. I wasn't always happy about it, but that is what was and what is.
The beginning of motherhood for me was not of full arms, a car carrier with a pacifier holding baby – the beginning of motherhood for me was tears and ache and emptiness, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
When Samuel was diagnosed with autism, I became the mother of a special needs child. I stopped holding onto the myth of "perfect family" and instead, became an advocate, an activist and a committed volunteer in the educational system. I wasn't always happy about it, but that is what was and what is. My only son is not going to be that "all-everything-whoa, check me out" kind of boy. He will be himself, which is just right. I look at him and we laugh together. In my melancholy moments, I whisper, "so close to normal" and in my happier moments I shout, "What's so great about normal?"
When Katherine said "Yes!" to Smith College, I became the mother of a soon-to-leave-home high school senior. I had to grasp the fact that her day-to-day life is outside my knowing. Her recent surgery made me face this head on and yes, so far we have survived. In fact, it made our ties stronger as we reached toward each other in different ways. That ending is still becoming this new beginning. Last night we used Skye for the first time. It was beyond words great to "see" her, especially when Samuel walked onto the video screen wearing his Halloween costume and Katherine's room mate giggled with Emma about how having her on the video "was like having two Katherine's in the room" because they look quite similar.
It is perfect that we bring "And Now You Write" to a gentle end as November appears with all its creative possibility within in.
A couple days ago I sat down and wrote the beginnings of a festive-agreement with myself about who I will be and what I will do in November. I thought it would be fun to share this with you and also invite you into creating your November even more powerfully.
We will take a moment to visualize your November and then write it into powerful creation together.
This November, I will...
This November I will lay a foundation for a world shatteringly wonderful 2011.
This November I will write at least 2000 words daily.
This November I will stretch myself physically and creatively.
This November I will remember love, first.
This November I will put myself out there more than I am used to doing.
This November I will be living my dreams more completely and bringing several to light that I wondered... "Would this ever happen?!"
This November I will be praised and perhaps I will have fingers shaken in my nose.
This November I will playfully experiment and accept doing things badly on the way to doing them well.
This November I will remember love, first.
This November I will laugh hard.
This November I will do some new stuff.
This November I will catalog and hang words on shelves, I will put ducks and baskets and buckets in shiny, muddy, tear-stained rows.
This November I will fart, I will may puke, I will most likely wring my hands and do some wretching.
This November I will create and publish chap books.
This November I will perform poetry, twice.
This November I will perform on the largest venue ever.
This November I will remember love, first.
This November I will sit in the sun, I will more than likely be rained upon, I will yawn and be tired, I will howl at the moon and more than likely I will sob at least once.
This November I will say thank you.
This November I will hang out with my favorite nun.
This November I will vote.
This November I will hug my babies.
This November I will pray.
This November I will stretch.
This November I will NaNo, I will AEDM, I will do the PAD Chapbook Challenge.
This November I will.....answer the call, this November.
Today's Writing prompt: This November, I will write....
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