Julie, I definitely relate to your tickler file for post ideas. I have a Word document that serves that function. It's very long and I wonder how many of those ideas will still feel relevant or intelligible when I get to them. But I always find something! Same thing when I collect ideas for writing prompts for my classes. I have a very long list as well as prompts I've used over the years. And they often re-amalgamate in new configurations for a particular class or retreat. I have my favorites I return to again and again, and these, too, change over the year. And often what I thought I was going to teach is thrown out right before class because of something more intriguing that flew into my inbox or a line in a book I just happened to be reading. And sometimes I change my mind in the moment because of what's arising in the room where I'm teaching.
I like staying flexible too when I lead a group, Laura. I always bring more ideas than I can use, and just follow the mood of the room. Sometimes what someone else wrote and shared will become the inspiration for the next prompt, and I always love when that happens. Did I see you are in the middle of a workshop this week? I hope the writing is working its magic!
Yes, this is day 3 of a 6 day retreat: Flourishing as We Age. I’ve got 25 women here, aged late fifties to 91. This is a new retreat center for me, and I’m loving it. Right on the beach in Santa Cruz. It’s a fifteen minute walk from my house. I’ve passed this place thousands of times and never checked it out before. But it’s a great location. One thing I love about it, beside the natural beauty, is there are lot of single rooms. And if there’s one thing older women want, it’s their own space! This is working out beautifully. It’s the first time I’ve taught this subject specifically because I finally feel old enough! I’m loving it. We’ve got a great group from all over. And I brought in three other teachers who are adding a great mix of skills and resources.
Thank you, Julie. As always, your prompts lead me to a calm place where I can begin to let my words flow (in contrast to the Anxiety Monster that usually surfaces when I face a blank page). But here is my sad thought on that beautiful poem: I am the person who always creates the space for others. I convene safe spaces for community discussions as part of my mission. It works beautifully, except … no one lets me speak. No one listens when I try to explain about my work, which is often the very work that they are saying is needed in our community. It’s incredibly frustrating that people love to hear themselves talk so much, they think themselves brilliant and ignore the fact that others have been toiling on the solution for years. Is it petty of me to complain like this? Probably. So thank you for listening.
Irma, thank you for your honesty about what makes you sad in the poem. That is a powerful place to start writing. Sending you love and light as you keep doing the hard work of making community.
Julie, I, too, love the file of ideas... mine is ever growing! Often, I am looking to a time or event-related prompt and gather all the other unique, curious ones in "files" and on dog-eared journal pages to use later... we'll see. Thanks for the poem, as well. Seems like so much of my writing and reading lately have me focused in on trying to listen better. Less to my second guessing and stuff in my own head and more to daily light all around me. Thanks again! I really hope to get back to writing with you again soon -
Julie, I definitely relate to your tickler file for post ideas. I have a Word document that serves that function. It's very long and I wonder how many of those ideas will still feel relevant or intelligible when I get to them. But I always find something! Same thing when I collect ideas for writing prompts for my classes. I have a very long list as well as prompts I've used over the years. And they often re-amalgamate in new configurations for a particular class or retreat. I have my favorites I return to again and again, and these, too, change over the year. And often what I thought I was going to teach is thrown out right before class because of something more intriguing that flew into my inbox or a line in a book I just happened to be reading. And sometimes I change my mind in the moment because of what's arising in the room where I'm teaching.
I like staying flexible too when I lead a group, Laura. I always bring more ideas than I can use, and just follow the mood of the room. Sometimes what someone else wrote and shared will become the inspiration for the next prompt, and I always love when that happens. Did I see you are in the middle of a workshop this week? I hope the writing is working its magic!
Yes, this is day 3 of a 6 day retreat: Flourishing as We Age. I’ve got 25 women here, aged late fifties to 91. This is a new retreat center for me, and I’m loving it. Right on the beach in Santa Cruz. It’s a fifteen minute walk from my house. I’ve passed this place thousands of times and never checked it out before. But it’s a great location. One thing I love about it, beside the natural beauty, is there are lot of single rooms. And if there’s one thing older women want, it’s their own space! This is working out beautifully. It’s the first time I’ve taught this subject specifically because I finally feel old enough! I’m loving it. We’ve got a great group from all over. And I brought in three other teachers who are adding a great mix of skills and resources.
Sounds fantastic—the space, the group, and the topic. Enjoy!
Thank you for this one.
Thank you, Julie. As always, your prompts lead me to a calm place where I can begin to let my words flow (in contrast to the Anxiety Monster that usually surfaces when I face a blank page). But here is my sad thought on that beautiful poem: I am the person who always creates the space for others. I convene safe spaces for community discussions as part of my mission. It works beautifully, except … no one lets me speak. No one listens when I try to explain about my work, which is often the very work that they are saying is needed in our community. It’s incredibly frustrating that people love to hear themselves talk so much, they think themselves brilliant and ignore the fact that others have been toiling on the solution for years. Is it petty of me to complain like this? Probably. So thank you for listening.
Irma, thank you for your honesty about what makes you sad in the poem. That is a powerful place to start writing. Sending you love and light as you keep doing the hard work of making community.
Julie, I, too, love the file of ideas... mine is ever growing! Often, I am looking to a time or event-related prompt and gather all the other unique, curious ones in "files" and on dog-eared journal pages to use later... we'll see. Thanks for the poem, as well. Seems like so much of my writing and reading lately have me focused in on trying to listen better. Less to my second guessing and stuff in my own head and more to daily light all around me. Thanks again! I really hope to get back to writing with you again soon -
Yes to listening to daily light around us, Betsy. Thanks for that image. Looking forward to writing together, too.
Thank you for sharing some words I needed to hear today. I'm listening.
I'm trying to, as well, Kay.
Thank you Julie for this beautiful poem and your insightful and thought- provoking words. So many things come to mind, but this was first.
Life became less exhausting when I stopped trying to do what I wanted and thinking that it was all about me and acting/ feeling so unworthy.
Still literally working on that mouthful of words.
And much more resounds in my soul as I continue writing.
JoAnne
Thank you for sharing your first thought to the prompt, JoAnne. That is getting my fingers itching to write about it....