DEAR ME 2014 promises to be a year of looking at just how important “me” is. I feel challenged to see what my creative juices have to say about meeting my spiritual, physical, mental and emotional needs using metaphors/archetypes for each aspect. I look at these four arenas of my life that I ever strive to improve and who but good old “me” could have the determination and know how to see me through. The first leg of my 2014 journey has our new five pound dog Buddy as my inspiration. Buddy was out in the cold looking for a savior when my wife picked out of the middle of a busy intersection. Spiritually he speaks about the importance of being delivered. And isn’t that my intent as I write? A redeemed Buddy is all kinds of piss and vinegar. There is no standing and waiting for something to get done. One spur to further growth is a recent letter from a church calling me to sort out who I am as a minister all over again. Writing.com has invited me into a lot of places to live out the spirit of ongoing adventure. Who needs to go half way around the world when you can enter a writing portal to everywhere “me” could want to go? I like the idea of a God that loves the world. With this in mind I bring my energy plug dog Buddy in for consultation. I am heeding the call. There is a church in Wichita that is considering me as a potential pastor. The Spiritual me is willing, more love and joy to seek. As temperature spiral down into negative digits I am looking for my comforter (coach) to infuse emotional depth into a soul that is near numb with cold. Back in the seventies I went through an awful bout of depression at a time when Massachusetts was getting more snow then it knew what to do with. There was a need for a comforter on those dark nights of the soul that had gotten frigid and sublime. My first exposure to a writing community has made me aware of the need for a comforter. Call him/her coach. It is a persona that calls me to nurture “me” in order to perform mighty work in behalf of God. There are some days when I feel like an awful writer and wonder why I even lift up something as heavy as my pen. Call the coach. In the seventies this person was my five year old sister Lisa. She took her big young adult brother by the hand and let him know it was going to be ok. I like the image of emotional nurture and push. Coaches in our world can be as tender as a parent and tough as a drill sergeant. Nothing is more precious than sorting out what makes one's craft valuable. I went into Writing.com wet behind the ears. I did not know “bit.em”. I look forward at the end of 2014 to sharing what it means to write in such a way that “me” is proud. This year will be more fun. The coaches/comforters will come raining out of the sky. You can do it "me". Do it for the gipper (God) if need be. Let people reviewed know they are wonderful or awful if that is what they demand. Look forward to the critiques, a few "1"'s are good for humility. This year will be a time of making up my mind what it means to do a good review and story. I have learned the hard way trying to please people leaves one out in the cold. Dear me, out of the depths send the comforter to warm me maybe even warn me so that I might not give up my life in vain. I will go to various wizards to fill my mind with expertise/skill sets that I might pass on. No longer will I be ensconced in the arena of mystery and “fly by the seat of the pants” tomfoolery. Each writer needs to find their own way. There is no one person who can magically make everything better. The year 2014 will be the year of being clearer about components that can make one’s writing a delight. As I read long stories and short poems, I pondered how many zillions of stories each person has written. Upon closer examination I saw that people kept a core group of stories to work on and share. I think it comical that I could read a long story and wonder about how someone could write so quickly. On the other hand is the haiku. How could it take so long to think up something so short and profound? My upcoming year will involve itself in getting under someone's wing. Some persons and groups that I think can help are Williamwriter's blog and the grammar school. I am making a goal to attend one of the grammar lessons every other month. I will review stories and poems with this in mind. As I tighten up my structures, I can help others with their own. I also plan to learn and write four poem forms and genres that I have not written before. Maybe I will find out some of the wizard is in “me”. c:blue}I feel like a dumbbell as I look at the intent to deal with the physical part of my dear me resolution. I have grown in ways that are indicative of giving way to being lazy and undisciplined. How can one gracefully dance upon the page, moving flabby hand on paper without a healthy exercise regimen. So here I sit working to lose calories as I race my fingers over the keyboard. Dear me, it seems like we cannot go fast enough to get words from the mind on to paper. I need a sense of humor. I need to channel the clown. What could lead me into more lightness? My goals with this in mind are to write two hundred reviews, two static items a month and read at least two stories that make me laugh. If I laugh enough that extra weight I carry does not stand a chance. My goal is to lose ten pounds this year. YOU can do it!!! Between writing, reviewing and reading I will cast aside all the extra weight of words that have up until this time been dormant. Spiritually, Mentally, emotionally and Physically I will grow. Watch out world, here “me” come!!! 1090 words |