#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream
It's definitely my favorite summer wildflower (or weed?). Queen Anne's lace always stuns with beauty from every angle and spontaneous. This one is leaning onto the trail in the shade under the pines.
I love teaching in any environment, but leading my workshop online tonight without leading the house, and walking upstairs to bed when it ended at 10:10 was wonderful. It filled me up with creative satisfaction - the writing shared was intriguing and well composed; fiction and non-fiction and fairy tale. The poem I selected for opening discussion was really well received. I chose a poem by Clarissa Pinkola Estes to honor one of the writers who recently returned from a weeklong workshop with her:
“COUNTING COUP, PRAYER TO PUT FEARS TO GOOD USE
Going over and over one’s fears
is empty
and emptying.
There’s something Greater that sustains.
We call it esperanza. Hope.
We call it guerre es podar. Desire is power.
Hope and desire are powers.
Fear—ha! Fear—ha!
Ha, hum—fear.
Pstt, pssh!
Consider that most fear
is not fear of failure:
it’s fear to live wide
and deep, as soul calls,
in full power.
Choose your petty fears carefully,
because they can grow big teeth.
Instead, draw your attention here.
I have several fears
I would like you to have.
Fear these:
Fear not loving
while you have the chance.
Fear becoming bitter.
Fear cynicism.
Fear turning to stone.
Fear living underwhelmed
by everything.
When the culture drags you
back and forth
between being fearful
and being a person
who gives blessings.
Give blessings.
When the culture drags you
back and forth
between being fearful
and being merciful.
Be merciful.
When the culture drags you
back and forth
between being fearful
and being forgiving.
Be forgiving.
When the culture drags you
back and forth
between fearing
and loving.
When the great “they”
say it must be decided,
one or the other,
you can either be fearful,
or do the other, be loving...
refuse to do only one.
Choose all of them.
Be fearful, and bless others.
Be fearful, and be merciful.
Be fearful, and forgive.
Be fearful, and do.
Be fearful, and love.
It is by doing,
by doing the blessing,
the mercy, the forgiveness,
the doing, and the loving,
that fear is dissipated.
Be not afraid to ride
right up to the enemy
and touch with your most sharpened flint
made of Love.”
All photos and text ©Kelly DuMar 2018