My Sunday List
Quote
I have two for this week:
1. Poet Wislawa Szymborska on the source of inspiration:
"Inspiration is not the exclusive privilege of poets or artists. There is, there has been, there will always be a certain group of people whom inspiration visits. It's made up of all those who've consciously chosen their calling and do their job with love and imagination. It may include doctors, teachers, gardeners — I could list a hundred more professions. Their work becomes one continuous adventure as long as they manage to keep discovering new challenges in it. Difficulties and setbacks never quell their curiosity. A swarm of new questions emerges from every problem that they solve. Whatever inspiration is, it's born from a continuous I don't know."
Source: The Poet and the World
Writer Audre Lorde:
“I want to live the rest of my life, however long or short, with as much sweetness as I can decently manage, loving all the people I love, and doing as much as I can o the work I still have to do. I am going to write fire until it comes out of my ears, my nose holes — everywhere. Until it’s every breath I breathe. I’m going to go out like a f*cking meteor!”
Source: The Marginalian
Person
President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter. What a life he has lived. And it is a fine example of what can be made of one even after achieving what some might consider the pinnacle of success, getting the job to lead the free world. I don’t have an opinion on what kind of president Carter was, but I am in awe of his humanitarian work and who he presents himself to be as a human being.
Song
“I Guess I Just Feel Like” by John Mayer
I watched
A completely absurd and wonderful black comedy well worth your time if you’re into completely absurd and wonderful black comedies that send up the ultra-rich and oblivious. The memory of it came in really handy while I was in Aspen yesterday — I was able to just chuckle at some of of the sights I saw because I had some visuals from this movie in my mind.
Book
Anna Quindlen, Write for your Life.
As good an account of why we write and why it’s so important to as I’ve ever read. I sometimes need to be reminded. If you write, you probably do too.
“When you write, you connect with yourself, past, present, and future. I remember myself, the little girl who once wrote poems, the college applicant who said without guile or humility that her goal in life was to be a writer. Writing can make memory concrete, and memory is such a hard thing to hold on to, like a Jello-O mold, all wiggly but with solid bits embedded clearly.”
Thing
My suitcase. One of those things we never think about until we have to, right? A wheel falls off or a handle breaks and then we grouse — but do we ever appreciate them while they’re functioning properly and holding all of our things? My little carryon has seen some sights. And I’d just like to praise it for its durability. It’s an Away and I’ve had it at least five years.
Favorite Photo I Took This Week
My sweet and dear friend Keith brought me these when we met for lunch the other day.
Wish
That you will forward this to one person and that person becomes a subscriber too.
Prayer
Thank you, Great Spirit, for showing me what I need to see.
Intention for the week to come
May I meet my challenges with compassion, kindness, and a willingness to understand. May I meet myself the same way.
Something I’m thinking about
Balance. And not only as it pertains to work and life. My body is unbalanced and my right side does most of the work. I’m trying to address that through yoga and through being aware of it — I’d like to give my right side a break and allow the left come up to its mark. Has anyone ever tried Feldenkrais?
Habit
Transforming negative to positive. If I’m able, I like to rethink the highly critical thoughts that are constantly running through my brain and change the language to make them more loving, compassionate, and empathetic. I will think to myself, Whoa — let’s say that in a different way and see if you can work some love into it.
From Aspen, yesterday.
Have a wonderful week.
Lots of love,
Allison
Thank you for acknowledging Jimmy Carter. He's one of my favorite people. I honor all of his contributions to humanitarian causes and what he stood for as a decent human being.
The beautiful string of words you put together to express your deep insights always lifts me up. Thank you for sharing yourself so openly, with so much love.