My 2016 Lenten Journey
I have been reading quite a bit so far this year and two quotes have popped out at me to direct my Lenten journey of tapping and writing.
The first came from Harriet the Spy, my favorite young adult chapter book of all time. (Now it’s Lucy’s.) We were driving to church this past Sunday, which happened to be Transfiguration Sunday and the six year anniversary of the genesis of my Forty Forts project. We were nearing the end of listening to Harriet the Spy on CD. Ole Golly had sent Harriet a letter via certified mail. My mouth dropped open as the letter advised, not only Harriet to write stories, but also myself. I have an entire bookshelf full of notebooks.
Dear Harriet,
I have been thinking about you and I have decided that if you are ever going to be a writer it is time you got cracking. You are eleven years old and haven’t written a thing but notes. Make a story out of some of those notes and send it to me.
“ ‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty.’ —that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
John Keats. And don’t you ever forget it.
Now in case you ever run into the following problem, I want to tell you about it. Naturally, you put down the truth in your notebooks. What would be the point if you didn’t? And naturally those notebooks should not be read by anyone else, but if they are, then, Harriet, you are going to have to do two things, and you don’t like either one of them:
1) You have to apologize.
2) You have to lie.
Otherwise you are going to lose a friend. Little lies that make people feel better are not bad, like thanking someone for a meal they made even if you hated it, or telling a sick person they look better when they don’t, or someone with a hideous new hat that it’s lovely. Remember that writing is to put love in the world, not to use against your friends. But to yourself you must always tell the truth.
Another thing. If you’re missing me I want you to know that I’m not missing you. Gone is gone. I never miss anything or anyone because it all becomes a lovely memory. I guard my memories and love them, but I don’t get in them and lie down. You can even make stories from yours, but remember, they don’t come back. Just think how awful it would be if they did. You don’t need me now. You’re eleven years old which is old enough to get busy at growing up to be the person you want to be.No more nonsense.
Ole Golly Waldenstein
(page 277-278)
Cleary I didn’t pay very close attention to when I received this same message last year.
The second book is a new, 14-day book from the library, which caused Henry to scoff. I am notorious for keeping books out for months at a time. Sigal Samuel’s The Mystics of Mile End is on of the very few fiction stories I have quickly devoured. I had already agreed to tap everyday of February using my Spark Planner, but this is going to be my Lenten practice, as well. I particularly love this quote that was found in an old book that fell open to character when he picked it up:
You must make your heart empty like an instrument so that the spirit of God can blow through you. Any blockage at all will prevent the making of this divine music. Even something that is traditionally considered good and worthy can constitute a blockage: knowledge, for instance. What is required is a certain emptiness, or quietness, of mind.
The Mystics of Mile End, by Sigal Samuel
Page 92
From the first week of tapping, I can tell you that I started creating art again since September, rearranged some of my art on display, bought new flowers and moved my rug to my dining room. All pleasing pluses.
If you don’t know about tapping, you can learn more here. The last week of February is the Eighth Annual Tapping World Summit. Last year was my first and it was AMAZING. Granted my family watched a lot of TV during a snow storm and a week-long illness. Looking forward to what this year’s Summit holds without the extra time at home.
So that’s it: creating and clearing.
And you?
