That book - Life on the Refrigerator Door - has stayed with me. Like really touched me. I saw that life in my working world - when one minute changes the outcome of the rest of your days. You distilled it down into so few words but they were incredibly powerful.
As to craziness in life. I've lost so many keys in my day and had so many flat tires. I've lost library books and jackets but never my head. When overwhelmed it's one big deep breath after another until I can find the focus again.
Thank you, Bernie. I've just slipped downstairs while the kids are sleeping to start my work day. Some writing, some to-dos, some teaching. I'm so grateful to begin with this lovely message. As a writer, these are the moments when the connections that writing makes remind me of what I love about stories and the written word. Thank you for taking time to tell me about my novel from so long ago (yet, it feels like a few minutes). As to. keys, right? Flat tires! Library books! Jackets! The kindness of other people trying to help and all I can say is, oh, I spend my life looking for things.
I must admit I think it is the only novel of yours that I have read. I should set about correcting that this winter -- which began today. Take care. Bernie PS No more chance encounters as Sue and Peter have moved.
What a fabulous mantra, "I trust the process that works for me." Chaos clings to me intermittently now but you are in the spin cycle with those littles. It will settle down and the chaos won't stick around.
Thanks, Donna. I'm always surprised, but I do get back to the page even when it's a bumpy journey. It seems to be how I write best. We'll see when the next book is out....
I hear you, Alice! I sometimes find that I have MUCH more to write and say in the whirl of my everyday like the centrifugal force is helping to mix all those magical threads into...something. Perhaps it's the energy in itself that's propelling/fuelling my inner muse. The gear shifts down are a little rusty right now...I think that's what hypervigilance does to the brain.
Thanks, Victoria. It does feel sometimes like it's all too much, but then when I sit down there's a quiet strand that seems to tug through. Hugs back to you xoxox
Loved this "Chaos to Creativity" as it fits me well, and I am comfortable in it. I knocked my bedside clock on the floor reaching for it in the dark the other night and one of the triple A batteries flew out on the floor somewhere. I was down on my hands and knees looking for it, didn't find it, still haven't and the clock sits there with one battery, not working. It's one that I press in the dark and it lights up to tell me what time it is and whether or not I can think about getting up or going back to sleep. I'll either find or replace the battery today, maybe. Meanwhile, the rest of the day and life goes on. Now time to have a 2nd breakfast, think about lunch and an early afternoon appointment. Have to go get license and registration for new car, bag of organic dirt, a few groceries, stop at the mailbox in town and find a recipe that I misplaced for dinner Jeez, it's always something, yes?
I can absolutely relate to the bedside clock. I knocked a glass of water the other day that shattered absolutely everywhere, bare feet and glass and so much clearing up! Then I did THE SAME THING three nights later after having a glass of water by my bed for 20 years...
One damn thing after another.... oh, I think that's called Life. Grateful, even for the chaotic moments as they help to know I am still functioning, perhaps in a less efficient way of getting stuff done. The old routines seem to take longer. Slowing up?
When you want to slow up, you raise your foot up from the accelerator and the speed goes down. You pull up on the reins of a horse to slow the speed or even stop for awhile. You lift your hands up from the keyboard. Faster is not always better, slow is often safer too.
All very good thoughts. I took half an hour today to look out the window--something I haven't done for a while. The house was quiet, which is also rare!
That book - Life on the Refrigerator Door - has stayed with me. Like really touched me. I saw that life in my working world - when one minute changes the outcome of the rest of your days. You distilled it down into so few words but they were incredibly powerful.
As to craziness in life. I've lost so many keys in my day and had so many flat tires. I've lost library books and jackets but never my head. When overwhelmed it's one big deep breath after another until I can find the focus again.
Thank you, Bernie. I've just slipped downstairs while the kids are sleeping to start my work day. Some writing, some to-dos, some teaching. I'm so grateful to begin with this lovely message. As a writer, these are the moments when the connections that writing makes remind me of what I love about stories and the written word. Thank you for taking time to tell me about my novel from so long ago (yet, it feels like a few minutes). As to. keys, right? Flat tires! Library books! Jackets! The kindness of other people trying to help and all I can say is, oh, I spend my life looking for things.
Hugs to you in snowy SaskatooN!
I must admit I think it is the only novel of yours that I have read. I should set about correcting that this winter -- which began today. Take care. Bernie PS No more chance encounters as Sue and Peter have moved.
(No large capital N needed!)
Oh what craziness!!!
A book to add to your Life Changing Books list: One Thousand Gifts, but Ann Voskamp.
Seeing your positivity shine through your chaos, I think you'll love this book 😊
Oooh, this sounds great. Thank you. I'm going to bump this Life Changing Books List to the top of my to-do list (that is now on paper, beside me ;-)))
Thank you again, Debbie!
😂 Hope you don't mind, but hearing about that list made me laugh 😂😂 all the best for taming it to stay with you!!
"Life is always switching from chaos to calm, mistakes to magic."
That is such a great line.
Also I laughed aloud at the losing of the list ... we humans are so human sometimes. Love the perspective on it <3 <3
Thanks so much, Kathryn! Remarkable pen still lost, and the replacement I bought doesn't work... so many list-stopping issues ;-)))
Love having coffee with you Alice. And actually, getting one important thing (the most important thing) is my approach to to do lists… 💜
Thank you, Imola. I love that approach! My to-do for right now is to relax on the sofa before the next kid-sport pick up....
What a fabulous mantra, "I trust the process that works for me." Chaos clings to me intermittently now but you are in the spin cycle with those littles. It will settle down and the chaos won't stick around.
Thanks, Donna. I'm always surprised, but I do get back to the page even when it's a bumpy journey. It seems to be how I write best. We'll see when the next book is out....
I hear you, Alice! I sometimes find that I have MUCH more to write and say in the whirl of my everyday like the centrifugal force is helping to mix all those magical threads into...something. Perhaps it's the energy in itself that's propelling/fuelling my inner muse. The gear shifts down are a little rusty right now...I think that's what hypervigilance does to the brain.
Take care, big hugs!
Thanks, Victoria. It does feel sometimes like it's all too much, but then when I sit down there's a quiet strand that seems to tug through. Hugs back to you xoxox
Loved this "Chaos to Creativity" as it fits me well, and I am comfortable in it. I knocked my bedside clock on the floor reaching for it in the dark the other night and one of the triple A batteries flew out on the floor somewhere. I was down on my hands and knees looking for it, didn't find it, still haven't and the clock sits there with one battery, not working. It's one that I press in the dark and it lights up to tell me what time it is and whether or not I can think about getting up or going back to sleep. I'll either find or replace the battery today, maybe. Meanwhile, the rest of the day and life goes on. Now time to have a 2nd breakfast, think about lunch and an early afternoon appointment. Have to go get license and registration for new car, bag of organic dirt, a few groceries, stop at the mailbox in town and find a recipe that I misplaced for dinner Jeez, it's always something, yes?
I can absolutely relate to the bedside clock. I knocked a glass of water the other day that shattered absolutely everywhere, bare feet and glass and so much clearing up! Then I did THE SAME THING three nights later after having a glass of water by my bed for 20 years...
One damn thing after another.... oh, I think that's called Life. Grateful, even for the chaotic moments as they help to know I am still functioning, perhaps in a less efficient way of getting stuff done. The old routines seem to take longer. Slowing up?
I love 'slowing up'....
When you want to slow up, you raise your foot up from the accelerator and the speed goes down. You pull up on the reins of a horse to slow the speed or even stop for awhile. You lift your hands up from the keyboard. Faster is not always better, slow is often safer too.
All very good thoughts. I took half an hour today to look out the window--something I haven't done for a while. The house was quiet, which is also rare!