Yearn
Today I am grateful for safe travels to and from Iowa to spend some time with my mom for her upcoming 83rd birthday. I am also grateful for all of the family members we got to visit with and the time we got to spend out on the farm.
We did come home a day early because of a predicted several inches of snow. It was disappointing, but a good call because the several inches came, both here and there. I had to chuckle about this though: My nieces and nephew were supposed to have a make-up day of school yesterday, but then they got a snow day. I guess you know it's a bad winter when you have to make-up the make-up days.
On to my second "y" word: yearn. I was drawn to this part of the definition: an earnest or strong desire. In light of the brutal cold and substantial amount of snow we have had, I truly am yearning for spring. It will be here sooner or later, and I will fully appreciate it. In fact, I plan to fully appreciate temperatures above freezing this week.
I also yearn to publish a book. I used to yearn to be a writer, but now I consider myself one. I am published and paid, though on a small scale. But I have learned that being published and paid aren't what make me a writer. Writing on a regular basis, honoring my desire to put words on paper and screen; that is what makes me a writer. Today I can say with conviction that I have been a writer my whole life.
This blog has really helped me come into my own as a writer. I am so grateful for that and so grateful I chose to take this leap into the blogosphere almost two years ago now. I have a regular outlet for my writing yearnings. I am more content with my writing than I ever have been. I have my blog and a monthly column for our local newspaper for a more public audience. I have journals and emails for a more personal audience.
But I still yearn for a book to hold in my hand with my name on it as the author, or one of the authors. Even with all the publishing formats available today, I still desire a real book to hold in my real hands.
And I yearn to continue this habitual practice of gratitude. It has taught and shown me so much over nearly two decades. I look forward to further deepening and strengthening of my heart, soul, body, and mind. That is what gratitude practice does.
We did come home a day early because of a predicted several inches of snow. It was disappointing, but a good call because the several inches came, both here and there. I had to chuckle about this though: My nieces and nephew were supposed to have a make-up day of school yesterday, but then they got a snow day. I guess you know it's a bad winter when you have to make-up the make-up days.
On to my second "y" word: yearn. I was drawn to this part of the definition: an earnest or strong desire. In light of the brutal cold and substantial amount of snow we have had, I truly am yearning for spring. It will be here sooner or later, and I will fully appreciate it. In fact, I plan to fully appreciate temperatures above freezing this week.
I also yearn to publish a book. I used to yearn to be a writer, but now I consider myself one. I am published and paid, though on a small scale. But I have learned that being published and paid aren't what make me a writer. Writing on a regular basis, honoring my desire to put words on paper and screen; that is what makes me a writer. Today I can say with conviction that I have been a writer my whole life.
This blog has really helped me come into my own as a writer. I am so grateful for that and so grateful I chose to take this leap into the blogosphere almost two years ago now. I have a regular outlet for my writing yearnings. I am more content with my writing than I ever have been. I have my blog and a monthly column for our local newspaper for a more public audience. I have journals and emails for a more personal audience.
But I still yearn for a book to hold in my hand with my name on it as the author, or one of the authors. Even with all the publishing formats available today, I still desire a real book to hold in my real hands.
And I yearn to continue this habitual practice of gratitude. It has taught and shown me so much over nearly two decades. I look forward to further deepening and strengthening of my heart, soul, body, and mind. That is what gratitude practice does.
Lisa, I love this blog and am grateful you took the leap, too! I relate to your yearning to be a writer and your shifting definition to what a writer is. I completely agree. It's been difficult for me to practice gratitude as it really is a practice and takes discipline-- as does being a writer! I've tried a few times to start a hard bound journal but find myself tapering off a few weeks in. Recently I've been using, thankaday.com, that makes it easier for me. Plus I love reading what other people are thankful for, as it reminds me of other things I am thankful for, too.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear from you! As my friend Dorothy likes to remind me- "only the disciplined are free." Thanks for the tip about thankaday.com. I wasn't familiar with it. Gratitude shared is gratitude multiplied.
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