I love it when my head-thoughts appear in another person’s blog. It happened on a quiet night as I sat at my computer, struggling with words to explain my feelings about the desert I was in. I had all but abandoned my manuscript and compounded the situation with self-worth issues.
Feeling like pond scum, I ditched the blog and checked email (for the eighth time) when what to my wondering eyes should appear but my good friend Taline’s blog post. The topic? Writing and self-worth. Her vulnerable words of wisdom caused me to inhale a breath of connection followed by an exhale of relief. I felt both understood and in good company.
I contacted her. She happily agreed to be my first guest blogger. You, too, will now get to experience her wonderful words, her honesty and depth. Context: she was at a writers’ retreat with Christina Baldwin when she penned the following:
“What I Learned at Aldermarsh”
Posted on December 7, 2013 by Taline
This week on Whidbey Island, I’ve spent my days writing, running, sharing words in a circle of wonderful women, and getting to know them more fully as we spent evenings before a fire with a bottle of wine or a cup of tea, depending on our moods. It’s been a wonderful week.
The week didn’t go quite as I expected or hoped, but I’m winding down and preparing to head home with two very important insights. Continue reading
First comment: Holy C*(p! Taline has a blog and I didn’t know about it???? Bookmark it now.
Second comment: Oh dear friend,,, pond scum??? you??? What a lovely pond! So sorry you have been stuck. So glad her words helped you.
Happy New Year. Hope to see even more of you in it.
“I need to be comfortable with myself and be of a mindset that anything I do that’s an accomplishment of some kind is just extra. I should do those things because I enjoy them, not because I need them to feel worthy in my own mind.” This is such a wonderful and concise summary of what I’ve been working on for the last few years. Thank you so much.
Loved your blog entry. Thank you for allowing Jeanne to share it.