Twice in one weekend I felt like I was at a filming of the final scenes of "It's a Wonderful Life."Saturday and Sunday I attended surprise birthday parties for two friends with milestone birthdays. Both ended up being powerful tributes to the guests of honor; the kind that left me yearning to live a more loving, prayerful, generous life.The first struck me at a personal … [Read more...]
My Kind of Game
I'm no good at baby shower games. I don't really mind, though, as I'm usually more concerned about whether or not remnants of spinach dip are stuck between my teeth from the hors d'oeuvres than if I can accurately guess whether the green goo inside the de-labeled jar is pureed peas or green beans.But just when I'm settling down in my chair and handed a pad of paper and … [Read more...]
Writing and Motherhood–what are we up to, part 4?
This "series" reminded me of yet another excerpt on the topic. This time, from Barbara Kingsolver's High Tide in Tucson (affiliate link). I also long for more time of my own, and silence. My jaw drops when I hear of the rituals some authors use to put themselves in the so-called mood to write: William Gass confesses to spending a couple of hours every morning … [Read more...]
Writing in the Midst of Motherhood, Pt. 3
I skipped posting the third part of this series on Sunday because with it being the Sabbath and all, I didn't want to link you to this totally secular article at Salon.com, of all places. The author of the article, Dayna Macy, is a writer who is exploring whether or not she should have a child. "I have postponed motherhood in order to get my writing life moving," she … [Read more...]
Writing in the Midst of Motherhood, Pt. 2 (I didn't know I started a series)
While writing yesterday's post, I remembered this quote from A Circle of Quiet, by the thoughtful and sometimes controversial Madeleine L'Engle. The various pressures of twentieth-century living have made it almost impossible for the young mother with pre-school children to have any solitude. During the long drag of years before our youngest child went to school, my love … [Read more...]
Writing in the Midst of Motherhood
I'm just finishing up Writing from the Center, a collection of essays from Scott Russell Sanders. In the chapter from which the book takes its title, Sanders seeks "to know where authentic writing comes from; I would like to know the source of those lines that are worth keeping, the writing that brings some clarity and beauty into the confusion of our lives." (p. … [Read more...]
Give Nutella to the one who asks you
Years ago I came home from Belgium with a jar of Nutella. Spreadable chocolate. What's not to love? Well, if you're allergic to nuts, that's a problem, as hazelnuts are an ingredient blended into the creamy chocolate. But if you like hazelnuts, and hazelnuts agree with you, and you love chocolate and want to justify eating it for every meal, then you … [Read more...]
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