Originally published in my “All Write!” column in the Rutland Herald, Feb. 22, 2016 under the title, “Your friend at the end of the pen.” I think most would agree that the best kind of friend is the one with whom we can be free to be ourselves — our perfectly imperfect selves. With a … Continue reading Who ya gonna call?: Your journal, your friend
(I originally wrote this post, with the title, “Writing Practice: How I learned to use my words,” for the Transformative Language Arts blog’s series highlighting TLA practices.) Writing is my life. Day in, day out, I am writing—four weekly columns, magazine articles, and my journal—or I am helping others get their own words down. And I … Continue reading Writing Practice: The roles my journal plays
Ah, the writing life. You hear it all the time: it’s damn hard. There are cartoons and quotes all over the place about problems with which writers are well acquainted: procrastination, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, the high of inspiration turning to the agony of reality, too little time, too much wine, doubting friends, know-it-all strangers, writer’s … Continue reading A Path to Publication: part 9: When life gives you lemons and you have no sugar
The W.O.R.D.S. Project (Words Open Resonating Depths of the Sacred): An alphabetical search for questions.* Hell? There is no fire, no devil, no death that holds me in its hot grasp of fear, Even heaven holds no charm to trick me when it is so clear, that, yes, Life can be hell if it is … Continue reading W.O.R.D.S.: Hell (or Unpeeling the Onion of your Psyche)
The W.O.R.D.S. Project (Words Open Resonating Depths of the Sacred): A weekly alphabetical search for questions.* Belief in a life lived is all I need, because Every day is a leap of faith. Living in unity with the All, Invites me to believe in Trust. Envisioning the path on which I walk Forwards my Wholy … Continue reading W.O.R.D.S.: Belief (or What is the definition of love?)
“I have learned [in this class that] I am probably wiser about things than I was allowed to believe about myself as a child… I love the structure of this class — the prompts give me focus and purpose for what follows. The prompts send me places I didn’t intend to go or didn’t know … Continue reading Fall 2012 Workshops at The Writers’ Room
The Authentic Voice Project: Week 5 (Full Moon) E is for Evil In my opinion the most evil word in the dictionary is, well, evil. It bites, slices, crushes; it infects, sickens, kills. I believe this word is too often thrown around where it doesn’t belong. It instills fear of rejection and shame in those … Continue reading Authentic Voice Project: E is for Evil
The Authentic Voice Project: Week 3 (Full Moon) C is for Contentment Ahhh, contentment. Society says: Contentment is swinging on a hammock while staring at the sky. It is walking along a beach, hand-in-hand with your love, golden retriever bounding by your side. At least that’s what the commercials would have us believe. But most … Continue reading Authentic Voice Project: C is for Contentment
I have to thank Mark Matousek, with whom I took a class at the Therapeutic Writing Institute, for his insightful article in Psychology Today: What’s Your Metaphor? Shifting Shapes In The New Year. This post is my response. Having never asked myself what word or phrase I consider my life metaphor, and how it affects … Continue reading Do you need a map or a box of chocolates?
The sun may not shine, but a woman’s soul still leads. I woke with this line running through my mind. I fumbled for the pen and paper kept on my bedside table for moments such as these and managed to make my still sleeping brain connect to my hand just enough to write it down … Continue reading Especially then, the soul knows…
joanna tebbs young 