But there's also this feeling under my skin like an allergic reaction every day, every headline. Meanness, stupidity, greed and fear, they are shots of poison under my skin.
The trees. The sky. The jays picking out seeds from my winter garden. I'm certain they feel it too.
Your writing about eagles soaring, nutcracker’s tweeting, and cheeseburgers grilling improved my despondent sprit. I have so much sadness in my life, and you remind me of the beauty that is present in this world. Employees who are friends, a visit from a son, frost on branches all signal that there is good in the world.
At the age of 55 I'm (predictably) trying to make up for lost time with regard to: music practice, voice lessons, much-needed self-compassion work. And my frequent mental refrain is: WHY BOTHER. I try to keep in mind that I really don't know how much I will progress (or even if I will). The important point is the daily practice and engagement with something other than the dead past.
I don't have as much time left as I did years ago when I first took voice lessons, for example, so I can use the time left to me to focus on it as best I can.
When the going gets tough take a walk. Early in the shutdown I would just walk downtown to circle all the places that hold a part of my soul, then walk home along the river to sit home alone and read.
I want to hear a little more about your 10-minute practice. I love that. Trying to settle into our new place and remake my writing life after a long frozen period of mourning (almost two years) after our son died by suicide. I have lots of words inside. 10 minutes first thing? Is there a routine? Is there a method? I'd love to hear -- PM me if you prefer. Thanks.
I love this, Chris. I try to hike once a week with my woman friend, we go on some long ass hikes. On one of them recently I felt practically giddy, it was so nice to be out and away in nature and with a friend, I nearly ended up feeling guilty. But no, it was exactly what I needed at that time and I need to pay attention to that.
This is all very good. The eagle, your Blackfeet friend, Missoula, America, the pandemic, the cheeseburgers, your writing, the toxins leaving, as Elliott says. I recognize a lot. Gracias.
thanks to whomever it was that I follow who posted this, I really enjoy your writing and look forward to subscribing/reading more. cheers, even amidst Our Shared Anguish.
Thanks for using a different fuel for that fire than your notebooks and keep inspiring this forum. The fire is good and so are your words. Your closing words on this post and the Kierkegaard quote in this forum give me a spark of hope. "So, let's". I couldn't agree more -- take care.
Thank you for expressing so beautifully what so many of us are clearly feeling. In some ways it feels like the most important things right now are finding these moments of life's vivid rewards, and regular reminders that we're not alone. Reading this felt like a good friend showing up at my door and pulling me out for a walk when I was in a dark place. Thank you <3
This is a great description of the impact of COVID and even better, a reminder to get out more. Thank you! I don't have an itch. I usually wake up happy enough and walk out amongst the pines if its not raining too hard, but at some point every day, I collapse, overwhelmed with what COVID has done to us all, and even more so with what I see coming for my kids. Getting them out in the beauty of the world has become so much more difficult.
I can totally relate to feeling lost this winter after not being able to experience this summer. These Alaskan winters are rough. Hanging in where I can
Thanks for once again a (very) interesting read, one that makes me think about Life in general. I have been writing a bit lately, about my recent experience with death and parenthood. It feels like it's time to put down into words what has been inside me for some years now. (how time goes by!) It's part of a more global thinking about who I am, what I want to pass on to my child, the moral principals and so on. I have not set a specific time of the week (less the day) for my writing sessions. I don't know if I should be. Should I force it, or wait for it to come? I don't kno, I'm experimenting. Sometimes I sit and think I'll write for about one or two hours, and I sit still for just 30 minutes. Sometimes, I spend most of the day writing.
Anyways, thanks again for your words. Hope my English wasn't too bad (writing from France.)
This vegetarian right here is craving that cheeseburger, man.
I laughed out loud at the Jesus bit. I imagine Jesus like that a lot: a regular guy with a strong moral compass, who gets depressed sometimes and swears sometimes, and deeply loves his friends and also humanity for some reason, and feels an overwhelming sense of disappointment in the General State of Government and Religion, Et Al. I can relate to that.
I wake to beauty.
But there's also this feeling under my skin like an allergic reaction every day, every headline. Meanness, stupidity, greed and fear, they are shots of poison under my skin.
The trees. The sky. The jays picking out seeds from my winter garden. I'm certain they feel it too.
Your writing about eagles soaring, nutcracker’s tweeting, and cheeseburgers grilling improved my despondent sprit. I have so much sadness in my life, and you remind me of the beauty that is present in this world. Employees who are friends, a visit from a son, frost on branches all signal that there is good in the world.
At the age of 55 I'm (predictably) trying to make up for lost time with regard to: music practice, voice lessons, much-needed self-compassion work. And my frequent mental refrain is: WHY BOTHER. I try to keep in mind that I really don't know how much I will progress (or even if I will). The important point is the daily practice and engagement with something other than the dead past.
I don't have as much time left as I did years ago when I first took voice lessons, for example, so I can use the time left to me to focus on it as best I can.
Thanks for writing this, Chris.
Thanks...
When the going gets tough take a walk. Early in the shutdown I would just walk downtown to circle all the places that hold a part of my soul, then walk home along the river to sit home alone and read.
I want to hear a little more about your 10-minute practice. I love that. Trying to settle into our new place and remake my writing life after a long frozen period of mourning (almost two years) after our son died by suicide. I have lots of words inside. 10 minutes first thing? Is there a routine? Is there a method? I'd love to hear -- PM me if you prefer. Thanks.
I love this, Chris. I try to hike once a week with my woman friend, we go on some long ass hikes. On one of them recently I felt practically giddy, it was so nice to be out and away in nature and with a friend, I nearly ended up feeling guilty. But no, it was exactly what I needed at that time and I need to pay attention to that.
This is all very good. The eagle, your Blackfeet friend, Missoula, America, the pandemic, the cheeseburgers, your writing, the toxins leaving, as Elliott says. I recognize a lot. Gracias.
thanks to whomever it was that I follow who posted this, I really enjoy your writing and look forward to subscribing/reading more. cheers, even amidst Our Shared Anguish.
Thanks for using a different fuel for that fire than your notebooks and keep inspiring this forum. The fire is good and so are your words. Your closing words on this post and the Kierkegaard quote in this forum give me a spark of hope. "So, let's". I couldn't agree more -- take care.
Thank you for expressing so beautifully what so many of us are clearly feeling. In some ways it feels like the most important things right now are finding these moments of life's vivid rewards, and regular reminders that we're not alone. Reading this felt like a good friend showing up at my door and pulling me out for a walk when I was in a dark place. Thank you <3
Cheers to mountain drives, eagles below you, field notes escaping the burn barrel, and delicious cheeseburgers. Hugs.
This is a great description of the impact of COVID and even better, a reminder to get out more. Thank you! I don't have an itch. I usually wake up happy enough and walk out amongst the pines if its not raining too hard, but at some point every day, I collapse, overwhelmed with what COVID has done to us all, and even more so with what I see coming for my kids. Getting them out in the beauty of the world has become so much more difficult.
I can totally relate to feeling lost this winter after not being able to experience this summer. These Alaskan winters are rough. Hanging in where I can
Thanks for once again a (very) interesting read, one that makes me think about Life in general. I have been writing a bit lately, about my recent experience with death and parenthood. It feels like it's time to put down into words what has been inside me for some years now. (how time goes by!) It's part of a more global thinking about who I am, what I want to pass on to my child, the moral principals and so on. I have not set a specific time of the week (less the day) for my writing sessions. I don't know if I should be. Should I force it, or wait for it to come? I don't kno, I'm experimenting. Sometimes I sit and think I'll write for about one or two hours, and I sit still for just 30 minutes. Sometimes, I spend most of the day writing.
Anyways, thanks again for your words. Hope my English wasn't too bad (writing from France.)
This article is a save. I just tried to do this but the memory stick in my Smith Corona is out of space.
Like Jesus and Jobe, buggered again.
Steve Roth
Utah
This vegetarian right here is craving that cheeseburger, man.
I laughed out loud at the Jesus bit. I imagine Jesus like that a lot: a regular guy with a strong moral compass, who gets depressed sometimes and swears sometimes, and deeply loves his friends and also humanity for some reason, and feels an overwhelming sense of disappointment in the General State of Government and Religion, Et Al. I can relate to that.