Daily Vacations

Photo Credit: Cal Shook 

Picture the weight of the world being lifted. You are experiencing perfect peace.

Where are you located?

For me it is at the ocean. Watching the tide go in and out is like having my cares washed out to sea.  The world can wait while my soul is restored.

Rest During a Storm

After a day ministering to others, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples,then made his way to the back where he laid his head on a pillow and fell asleep.  As the boat makes its way toward the next shore, a storm hits.  The boat rocks violently and starts to capsize.  The disciples wake Jesus shouting. "We're drowning!"

Jesus sits up and tells the storm to stop and it does..
Mark 4:35-41

A Peaceful Island

At the time of this writing, my husband Jim and I are on vacation. The beauty of creation is around us as we walk along the ocean.  It's low tide.  We head for the cove.  With the tide rolled out the danger of a rip current is gone, leaving a once treacherous cove free to pass and a peaceful island within reach. My soul is at rest.

As this time away comes to a close, my goal is to create daily vacations.  A time each day to envision the cares and worries of everyday life, rolling out with the tide and freeing me to cross over to a place of peace - a daily restoring of my soul.

My prayer for you, my friend, is that you will find Peace!

Note:  Are you looking to create moments of rest and relaxation in your life?  Check out one of my favorite authors, Kirk Byron Jones.
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Self- Esteem and Creativity

The idea for the following brief story came to me after reading Stephen King’s book, “On Writing: a memoir of the craft”.  I woke up dreaming about it.   

Photo by Mike Landry

Punishment.

It is recess time at Dawnville Elementary.  Children are playfully running and laughing.  Over near the entrance door a tall thin boy with unkempt shoulder length hair stands alone facing the “punishment wall”.  His name is Justin and this is part of a daily routine after being caught hitting one of his classmates. 

Justice.

Several days later, with two feet of snow on the ground and frigid temperatures, recess is indoors.  The classroom is humming with conversation as children pull games and puzzles from an “activity box” and then spread out around the room.  

Justin is standing by himself staring out the window at the snow covered trees

Alan sneaks up behind him and punches him in the back.   Justin’s body lurches toward the window.  Like a lightweight fighter, Justin steadies his feet and pivots away from the window with both fists raised.  Facing Alan he pulls his right arm back…

“Stop,” Mrs. “G” yells. 

Justin freezes in position.

“Alan, hitting is not allowed,” she says.

Justin drops his arms and stands straight. 

Both boys look stunned.

“Alan, go to your desk and put your head down.”

“But, he…”

“Alan, I saw what you did and how it happened.  Go to your desk, now.” Alan does as he’s told.

“Are you OK, Justin?”

“Yes.”

“Great!”

Relieved, Justin heads to the “activity box” and finds a game he can play on his own, then moves to a spot where he can sit by himself. 

Creative Expression.

Photo by Mike Landry

Later that day Justin is sitting at a round table at the back of the class with four other children and his Remedial Reading teacher, Mrs. “G”.  He thinks to himself:  I’m stupid and I’m always going to be stupid. 

Mrs. “G” hands each of them a piece of wide ruled paper and a pencil.   After reviewing basic sentence structure the group is asked to write a sentence.  “It can be about anything. If you’d like, it can be about a place you’ve gone with someone and had fun.” 

Justin’s hand hits the table hard with a thud as he moves the paper closer. Pressing down hard, he writes, “I do not want to do this.” Mrs. “G” quickly writes a big letter “A” next to his sentence.  “Good job, Justin, you wrote a sentence.”

Almost in tears, Justin looks at her and says, “My father is out of work.  He drinks a lot and sleeps a lot.  We don’t go anywhere or do anything fun.” 

 “Justin, if you could do anything for fun, what would you do?”

“I’d go fishing with my dad.”

Handing Justin a fresh piece of paper Mrs. “G” says, “Then write about that if you’d like.”

Justin quickly wrote down a sentence about fishing with his dad.

After four more “Good Jobs”,  Mrs. “G” moved on to the next part of the lesson where she encouraged each child to expand upon their sentence.

 All five were busy writing when Justin asked if he could draw some pictures about his fishing trip. 

“That is a great idea, Justin!  Does anyone else want some drawing paper and crayons?” Everyone was in.

Their words turned into paragraphs with each adding pictures to go with their soon to be short story books.  

How about you?

Is there a Justin in you?  A part of you that longs to be loved and accepted for who you are;  that yearns to be set free?   If you could do anything just for the fun of it, what would it be?   Be creative. 

I’d enjoy hearing from you.  Share your artistic expression below.  

Resourses:  

"Calling Forth New Life" - Kirk Byron Jones

 “On Writing: a memoir of the craft” - Stephen King

Find Rest, Peace, and Creativity this Election Season.

Are you feeling a bit fearful and angry this election season?

I sure am.

Not only am I fearful of “all” the political rhetoric, I’m concerned about the resulting anger it’s evoking within me.

Breathe

To calm my fears and relax I used the following words in a similar fashion to a "breath prayer" by taking a breath with each verse I read. 

Rest leads to Peace.

Peace leads to Clarity.

Clarity leads to Creativity. – Kirk Byron Jones, “Calling Forth New Life”

Discover

Mount Agamenticus - Cal Shook

With a more relaxed spirit, the following thoughts surfaced.

What images am I creating this election season?  What Images would I like to create?

With the answers came the insight that my rhetoric needs to be overhauled.

People that disagree with me are not stupid: they have the same fears for the future I have. 

There’s a creative spirit in everyone.

Each of us has the ability to create a variety of images.  From images that warm the soul to those that deaden the spirit.

In a world in turmoil what expressions of creativity are available? 

Am I opening the door or closing it to solutions that are not like mine.

What images are being portrayed this election season?

Are they?

Love or Hate

Peace or Fear

Forgiveness or Revenge

Joy or Misery

Compassion or Cruelty

Empathy or Disdain

York Harbor Daisies - Cal Shook

To truly love self and others requires finding inner peace.  Forgiveness allowed Jesus to say to those torturing him on the cross, “Father, forgive them...” Forgiveness of self and others brings inner joy, which reflects outwardly to others. 

Choose

The choice is each of ours – what type of images do we want to convey?

Images of:

Love, Peace and forgiveness which foster Joy, Compassion, and Empathy
Or
Images of:

Hate, Fear, and Revenge which promote Misery, Cruelty, and Disdain.

Pray

Ask God for help using a prayer like the following reflection prayer.

God please open our minds and hearts to seek out your will and guidance in our creative expression. 

Where there is hatred may we foster love?  May we take time to approach this election season with a more relaxed spirit.  May we open the door to the solutions offered by others not like ourselves, because we’re all here for a purpose.  We all have something to bring to the table.  Together we can create a world of peace and love.

Be Courageous, Change the Things You Can

Cal Shook - Foliage - Newington, NH 

“God grant me the Serenity to

Accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to Change the things I can, and

Wisdom to Know the Difference.” Anonymous

What do you want to accomplish?  Is time passing for you with little to no forward progress?  Be courageous. There are simple ways to start on the path to achieving what you’re dreaming of.

1. Serenity

Serenity is key.  Tapping into the God of peace on a regular basis is essential.

Fear produces anxiety which has a crippling affect.  It blocks communication with others and our ability to think clearly to produce creative solutions in an ever changing world.

It wasn’t until I started taking time to relax that I realized how “un-serene” I’ve been.  With a rested mind I am free to create a new vision and a renewed life.

2.  Acceptance

Accepting that some things are beyond our control can be difficult such as natural disasters and another’s choice.   We can choose our response.  Pausing to relax before we respond can make a big difference in whether we sink or swim.   

My mom had no sense of balance and as hard as she tried was unable to ride a bike or ice skate.  One winter as we headed out to run errands, we started walking toward the car, she hit a small patch of black ice, started to slide, grabbed me and we both hit the pavement. Fortunately neither one of us got seriously hurt just bruised.

Next time out, knowing the driveway was icy, I offered Mom my arm.  Mom wanted to be able to do it herself, to get to the car on her own, so she declined.  She walked as carefully as she could, but found more black ice and down we went.

This pattern would repeat itself unless something changed.

Cal Shook - Foliage - Newington, NH

3.  Change

It takes courage to move beyond our comfort zones, to change the things we can.

Mom and I could have kept hitting the pavement together, but after a couple rounds of ground togetherness a solution was reached.

Even though my mother knew she had a balance problem, it was hard for her to accept my help.  My independent spirit felt for her.  After giving it her best effort Mom once again accepted her lack of balance. Doing so freed her to take my arm on icy days as we headed for the car.  This allowed both of us to walk to the car and remain upright.

Trying to change things beyond my control is like hitting the pavement with Mom.  It leaves me feeling a bit bruised.  "Letting Go" of the things I cannot change allows the bruises to heal and makes for smoother forward progress.

Sometimes it takes a change in attitude, a little readjustment, and a new routine to get a more beneficial outcome.

4. Wisdom

Wisdom is needed to figure out what to “let go” of and what to change.

Fortunately Mom’s and my situation was easy to remedy and we both became part of the solution.  Other situations can take more creativity and time.

In last month's post, "Time Clutter", I talked about how cluttering both physical space and my calendar have been holding me back.  Letting go of “physical clutter” is getting easier every day.  The hardest one is the “Time Clutter”.  If I do nothing to change the way I spend the hours of each day, my dreams may slip away as time runs out. 

Creating a "Time Map" is helping me move forward.

A “Time Map” is a schedule to help you fulfill your dreams.  When you set goals, set aside the time to accomplish them, then start working on them, you’re heading down the path of accomplishment.  A “Time Map” can help you reach your destination, your dream. 

Basic steps for setting up a “Time Map”

Cal Shook - Foliage - Newington, NH

Step 1:  List Your Dreams. 

What are your dreams?

My dreams are to finish my great Aunt Anna’s memoir by 2017 and to keep a well-balanced life in the process

Step 2:  List 5 to 6 Life Categories.

List "Life Categories" that will help you live the life you dream of. Some people find it helpful to color code these.

My list: 
Self (mind, body, and soul),

Family/Friends,

Home Maintenance,

Work,

Writing.

Step  3: How are you spending your time?

Take a close look at where you’re spending your time.

There are 168 hours in a week:

How much time are you spending in the "Life Categories" above?

I’ve used an app called "My Time", just to calculate where I’m spending my time.  This app adds whatever hour amount you put into a "Life Category", that you list, to a total at the top of the screen. Once completed, I realized why I wasn't moving forward.  I could now see that I wasn't spending enough time on the book.  I looked for a way to make this happen.

Step 4:  Where would you like to be spending more of your time?

Choose a “Life Category” you’d like to spend more time on.

Answer the following questions:

How can you spend more time in that area?

Does something have to go to make room?

Be creative.

I discovered that I wasn’t spending enough time "Writing" my Aunt Anna’s memoir.

The bulk of my schedule is my Communication Coordinator position.

Maybe giving up a TV show or two and getting to bed earlier could help?  I’m a morning person so adding a couple hours first thing in the morning seemed logical.   I decided to try getting to bed at 9pm and up at 5am.  I discovered that I couldn’t get to sleep that early.  I changed it to 10pm and got up at 6am.  It worked. It's giving me one to two hours of writing time each day, I am on my way to making the memoir a reality.  

Repeating these steps has helped me make time for "Family/Friends" in the middle of each weekday at lunchtime and on Saturdays.

How about you?
What are the things you are changing or can change to make your dreams come true?

To share your comments or this blog, see the links at the end of this post. 

For more on:
Spiritual Transformation -
"Calling Forth New Life", by Kirk Byron Jones at Amazon
Time Mapping -
“Time Management from the Inside Out” by Julie Morgenstern at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Family Matters

Grandpa Jim, cousin MaryAnn, Me, & sister Karen

“Failing to connect with your family leaves you alone in important ways that lovers, children, friends, and work cannot replace.” – Monica McGoldrick, PhD

Family really does matter.  The way we relate to our family of origin affects our well-being, our lives.  It’s not in separation; it’s in coming together to form healthier relationships that we thrive. 

Having said this, there are extreme circumstances of physical and/or verbal abuse in which separation is necessary.  Be safe.

I believe that within each unhealthy family system there are glimmers of hope.  It’s human nature to want a healthy and fulfilling life.

“Gaining more knowledge of one’s distant families of origin can help one become aware that there are no angels and devils in a family: they were human beings, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, each reacting predictably to the emotional issue of the moment, and each doing the best they could with their own life course.” – Murray Bowen, M.D.

None of us gets through this life unscathed.

Maturity means looking beyond oneself. 

The gift of my grandparent’s generation.

In search of my heritage I spent time with family members from my grandparents generation.

Family photos with stories of tragedy and triumph accompanied by a cup of tea are my treasured memories with two great aunts.  My great Aunt Mabelle, on my mother’s side and my great Aunt Anna Bella, on my dad’s lived 15 minutes apart.  This made it convenient when I’d come in from hours away to see them both on the same day.

Each grew up quickly, having lost a parent as a teenager.  Longevity would be their hallmark with both living on their own up until a short time before their deaths, Aunt Mabelle (93 years) and Aunt Anna Bella (103 years).

Aunt Mabelle, Great-grandmother Judith, Grandmother Marie

 Aunt Mabelle – “Mémère”

“Mémère” – French Canadian for “Grammy”.

An extrovert with an active social life and event calendar, there were plenty of new things to talk about.  As she identified photos I would learn more about her life and the lives of my ancestors, woven with deep loss and great joy. 

Being childless, she helped me grieve, pick up the pieces, and move on. 

Once retired, she offered to be there for the families in her neighborhood.  If a parent was delayed from coming home from work, children had a safe place to come after school.  With her grandmotherly ways, weekdays weren’t the only time children would come over to visit. When she passed, a large arrangement with the word “Mémère” on it adorned her casket.  Inside were trinkets and letters of gratitude for the mutual love between them.

Dan Babineau, Aunt Anna Bella, Uncle Frank and Aunt Elizabeth

 Aunt Anna Bella – Evergreen.

“...your soul could never grow old it's evergreen.” – Ed Sheeran, Thinking Out Loud

Being in Aunt Anna Bella’s presence meant watching the years disappear as she spoke.  A lover of knowledge, she kept up with current trends which made for some lively discussions and contributed to her youthful and energetic personality. 

An introvert, Anna had a small but meaningful group of friends.  She’d tell me to choose my friends well because as you get older you’ll need to find younger ones with a passion for life and a caring spirit.   A family picture hanging over her bed would open the door to a story of horrific tragedy and survival.  This sharing would lead to conversations with relatives from both the US and Canada.  As we continue in dialogue our heritage lives on.  (There will be more on this tragedyin a future blog.)

In searching to learn more about my family history, I had the privilege of attending a retreat based on Bowen Family Systems.  The goal is to reach a more mature state and a more meaningful life through looking at your family history and the way you relate to people in the present. 

Do you believe that you’ve been influenced by the generations that have come before you?

Are you looking for healthier relationships and striving for more meaning in your life?

“Growing Yourself Up” – by Jenny Brown is a condensed version of the retreat.  The helps alone at the back of the book are worth the price. Available at: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

If you have a moment, I’d be interested in hearing a family story that has empowered you. Leave a comment in the section below. 

Be a Bridge Builder: Be the Artist You Were Created to Be.

Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, New York City - Wikepedia

“Who can deny that the Queensborough Bridge is the work of a creative artist?”

“Behold its liberal loveliness of length,

       A flowing span from shore to shore,

       A brimming reach of beauty matched with strength,

       It shines and climbs like some miraculous dream,

       Like some vision multitudinous and agleam,

       A passion of desire held captive in the clasp of vast utility.” Helen Keller, Midstream

How does someone who is blind and deaf write such beautiful flowing words about a bridge?

Helen Keller traveled across this bridge numerous times with various companions; each offering their experience as they road up to and over it. This was done by either signing into Helen’s hand or allowing her to place her hand on their lips while speaking about it. Helen responded to their observations in a similar manner, making comments and asking question to get a deeper understanding of their perceptions. Helen took these tactile images stored in her mind, as one looking at digital photos from a variety of photographers, then composed what she envisioned in the above quote.

Two works of art, each possessing beauty and relevance, one created by an architect and the other by a writer. Oh, to create something so delightfully useful, something that stirs the soul from start to finish.

Bay Bridge, Maryland - Cal Shook

As I ponder the time and effort required to build this bridge and Helen’s description of it, I’m reminded that both took years to perfect.  To become the artist I’m created to be requires building a bridge to mastering my talents and abilities. There’s a creative photographer and writer within me.

Over the past several months, I’m learning to let go of unnecessary things that are jamming up my time and leading me away from these passions and suffocating my spirit. The more I let go the more room I have for things that rejuvenate me like eating well, getting plenty of sleep, and getting exercise.

When I get to bed early, I wake refreshed to ponder the words for the next blog post or my first book. Energized, I transcribe the stream of thoughts, no matter how illogical they seem.   Rearranging them, crossing off the unnecessary as I strive to create a logical piece.  Later in the day, my spirit feels light and free as I pick up the camera and head out for a walk with my husband Jim.  We move along watching nature unfold before us with its varied landscapes and activity, hoping to capture that unique moment.

What passion is burning inside of you?
Are you making time for the artist within?
If not, how might you do so?

Resources:
Midstream - Helen Keller
Art of Work - Jeff Goins
How to Build a Bridge audio - Jeff Goins

Pushing Through the Pain

North Myrtle Beach, SC - Cal Shook

What does it take to become a teacher when you can barely see?  

It takes “pushing through the pain”.

“Fortune favors the motivated.” – Jeff Goins, The Art of Work

1.  What would you like to achieve? 

Anne Sullivan pushed through the pain of limited vision, being abandoned, and living in poverty to dream of getting an education.

Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at 19 months.  As Helen grew, she desired a better method of understanding and interacting with people and the world around her.  

2. Are you willing to push through the pain to get there?

At fourteen, Anne got up the courage to tell an influential adult that she wanted to go to school.

Within months, she started school at Perkins Institute.

Because of her age, Anne was starting school at a disadvantage.   

“Anne Sullivan's recollections of her early years at Perkins were mainly of feeling humiliated about her own shortcomings. Her anger and shame fueled a determination to excel in her studies. She was a very bright young woman, and in a very short time she closed the gaps in her academic skills.” – Perkins.org

Anne’s tenacity and determination, plus the support and nurturing of teachers and a housemother, aided her in graduating from Perkins Institute.

When offered the job to be Helen Keller’s teacher, Anne accepted.  Her life experiences were well suited to Helen’s strong-willed personality. 

Helen writes about meeting Anne for the first time.

“I felt approaching footsteps, I stretched out my hand as I supposed to my mother. Some one took it, and I was caught up and held close in the arms of her who had come to reveal all things to me, and, more than all things else, to love me.” – Helen Keller, The Story of My Life.

Day after day Anne would have Helen touch an item, then finger spell the word into Helen’s hand. Then one day at the well-house, with water pouring over one hand and Anne finger spelling the letters in the other, Helen made the connection.  The liquid pouring over her hand was “w-a-t-e-r”.

“That living word awakened my soul, gave it light,  hope, joy, set me free?  There were barriers still, it is true, but barriers that could in time be swept away.  I left the well-house eager to learn.” – Helen Keller, The Story of My Life

As Helen’s vocabulary grew, so did her desire to communicate more effectively. Helen wanted to be able to speak and read lips with her hand.  A woman named Sarah Fuller, principal of Horace Mann School, offered to teach her.  Anne took Helen to the lessons.  

“Miss Fuller gave me eleven lessons in all. I shall never forget the surprise and delight I felt when I uttered my first connected sentence, ‘It is warm.’ True, they were broken and stammering syllables; but they were human speech. My soul, conscious of new strength, came out of bondage, and was reaching through those broken symbols of speech to all knowledge and all faith.’ – Helen Keller, The Story of My Life

Effective communication takes time.  Helen's words remind me that even if it’s not perfect, like putting the words together for this blog, it’s important to keep working at it.  I desire to find “new strength” to find my voice. 

Today we saw how Anne pushed through the pain of abandonment and poverty to complete her education.  How not giving up and signing over and over until Helen made the connection, paid off. Once the connection was made, Helen thrived and wanted to push through to even greater achievement in communicating with others.  In the next blog, we’ll go deeper into Helen’s journey toward fulfillment in “Be a Bridge Builder.”

Feel free to share your ideas and/or journey in the comments section below.

Next Steps:

Read more about:

Pushing through the Pain "Painful Practice" - The Art of Work by Jeff Goins

Anne Sullivan

Helen Keller 

For notification of my next blog, "Be a Bridge Builder", sign up by clicking on "Subscribe To".

Accidental Apprenticeships

Nubble Light, Cape Neddick, ME - Cal Shook

“An accidental apprenticeship begins with listening to your life and paying attention to the ways in which you’re already being prepared for your life’s work.” – Jeff Goins

You are who you are because of your experiences.  Some are a result of the life you were born into; others are by choice.  As you listen to your life, patterns will emerge.

Life is happening all around you – explore its mysteries.  The answers are within reach, seek them out.
Answers to questions like:
What fuels your soul?
What are you drawn to?
What do you want to accomplish?
What are you here for?

Move into action by acknowledging your accidental apprenticeships.  Learn from them. Masters are the people in your life who have the skills and/or qualities that move you forward in fulfilling your life’s purpose?

“Every story of success is a story of community.  Although mentors are hard to come by, accidental apprenticeships are everywhere. Your life is preparing you for what’s to come.” Jeff Goins

Follow Your Dreams.

Author Elizabeth (Betty) Wilder and I met several years ago at York Ogunquit church.  During the time we've known each other, Betty has written her first novel, "The Spruce Gum Box" (at the age of 72), and two subsequent novels to finish the trilogy.  She is currently working on her forth book. Betty not only inspires me, she encourages all of us to follow our dreams and take action no matter what stage of life we’re at.

Betty keeps in touch with friends on Facebook by sharing her travels and current engagements.  She generously promotes other authors on Twitter.  It’s through her promotion of Jen Blood’s book, “All the Blue Eyed Angels,” that another accidental apprenticeship came into my life.

Connect with Others.

Jen Blood, author of the “Erin Solomon Mysteries” knows how to engage a social media audience with her personal and relatable style.

One of my favorite examples happened with her Facebook group called the “Erin Solomon Press Corps.” Jen asked us for help.  She wasn’t sure about the new cover design for “Southern Cross”.   A lively discussion followed, adaptations made, and a new cover design approved.  I enjoyed watching this process unfold.

Jen connects with others (her followers) throughout the week and offers a variety of promotions. When her name or group pops up, there’s a curiosity factor that’s hard to resist.

Putting it all together.

Elizabeth (Betty) Wilder and Jen Blood are two masters that I am grateful to be learning from.  The examples given are only a small glimpse into what I’m acquiring from both of them.

As I work my way through Jeff Goin’s book “The Art of Work,” I’m gaining new insights that are moving me forward as a writer.  These accidental apprenticeships are helping me do just that.

What are the accidental apprenticeships in your life?  How are you using them to move forward with your life’s purpose?

Next Steps
Read more about:
Accidental Apprenticeships podcast with “The Art of Work” author Jeff Goins
Elizabeth (Betty) Wilder at her author page: Elizabeth Wilder
Jen Blood at her author’s page:  Jen Blood     .
Check back next week for "Pushing Through the Pain."

Exploring the Writer Within

Explore - Long Sands, York, ME - Cal Shook

Be Aware – Listen to Your Life – Part 2

“You don’t ‘just know’ what you calling is. You must listen for clues along the way, discovering what your life can tell you. Awareness comes with practice.” – Jeff Goins

Clue #1: An Inner Yearning

When I was eight my cousin Mary Ann was born with Down syndrome.  A few weeks later my brother Jay was born.  There were complications, during delivery, where we almost lost both of them.  Days later, Mom and Jay returned home.  Mom’s recovery would take time; Jay appeared unharmed.

Both Mary Ann and Jay delighted me with their individuality and abilities as they grew. Mary Ann’s beautiful smile and laid back nature plus Jay’s zest for life and rambunctiousness made for unique play time experiences during family gatherings.  While observing the two of them something kindled inside of me, a yearning to help people thrive and use their abilities to a live a happy and fulfilling life.

Clue #2: A Desire

My first memory of writing:

While a single mom was out working, her three teenagers decided to have a party.  Beer was being passed around and at times wound up in the fish tank.  Note to self, don’t bring out a pocket sized pad of paper and pen in the middle of a party and start writing.  It makes people uneasy and you might not stay very long.

Clue #3:  Finding Meaningful Expression

College and working toward a degree in Human Services gave me ample opportunities to serve others then write about the experiences.  I enjoy the creative process.  When the words flow and provoke a reaction from a reader it stirs my soul.  It felt good to get comments like “a unique take” and “creative” in response to my papers.

One of my favorite people to work with and write about was “Berkie” who’s only home for the first 40 years of his life was a state institution.  Living conditions were deplorable. Thanks to deinstitutionalization, “Berkie” was sent to a group home.  This afforded him ample opportunities to gain social and work relate skills through field trips and attending a sheltered workshop. When I first met “Berkie” he could barely say “yes” and “no”.  As experiences heightened his emotions, more words started to come out.  “Tree”, “Chop”, and “Big” came out in joyous delight as he expressed his enthusiasm about his first Christmas tree.  Then there’s the riding stable where “Berkie” looked a bit nervous as he stared at the horse towering over his small frame. Two of us helped him on.  As his body slid into the saddle, he looked down and yelled, “Me Break Neck!”…“Me Break Neck!”. The horse was carefully moved forward and within minutes “Berkie’s” fear turned into joy.

Uncovering the clues: 1. An inner yearning to empower others, 2. A desire to record events, and 3. A pursuit of meaningful expression, have rekindled the writer within.

What is your life telling you?  Is there a writer in you? Maybe there’s something else waiting to burst forth?  Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Next steps:

Listening to Your Life audio podcast, with “The Art of Work” author Jeff Goins.

Check back next week for: “Accidental Apprenticeships” or "Subcribe" to this blog.