Writing Prompt

Taking the time to write about Gratitude is always a wonderful way to center yourself and remind yourself what is important. Today's prompt suggestion is to write about things you are grateful for in your life. You could choose to focus on one thing and write about it in detail, or write about several things you are grateful for, or simply make a list of everything -- big and small -- that you are grateful for in your life.

Creativity and health

Great article on the benefits of creativity, including writing in a journal, on health and well-being!

http://us.cnn.com/2012/05/25/health/enayati-innovation-passion-stress/index.html?hpt=li_c2

Inspirational Quote of the Moment

"Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake." -- Thoreau

Resource of the Moment: SARK

SARK (who has written many excellent books on subjects related to creativity and self-care) has a couple of wonderful Transformational Programs available to those interested in the power of Journaling. Juicy Journaling with SARK and Juicy Journaling with SARK Volume 2 both offer a rich collection of prompts and inspiration for daily journaling. Sounds like a great way to kick-start your journaling and have fun along the way! You never know what you might discover... maybe this is just what you have been looking for. Check it out!

HAND

HAND is the Health Arts Network at Duke, and it's a nifty organization. I particularly like the work they do with writing, poetry, healing and medicine. There are some neat interviews on the topic on their web site. Check it out!

Lifelong Learning

Not that I'm necessarily planning on going back to grad school any time soon, but I recently ran across a graduate program that sounds absolutely amazing -- Pacifica Graduate Institute's M.A. in Engaged Humanities and the Creative Life. The program description is completely fascinating and I am totally intrigued. Off to check out some of their recommended reading!

Other grad programs that I think sound really neat and interesting (maybe some day...):

MA, Reading in Practice -- Univ. of Liverpool
MSc in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Practices -- Metanoia Institute (London, UK)
MS, Narrative Medicine -- Columbia University
Expressive Arts Therapy -- App State Univ.
More: http://www.poetrytherapy.org/training.html

Life long learning opportunities abound...

Resource of the Moment: Poets & Writers

The Poets& Writers web site -- http://www.pw.org/ -- is a fantastic resource for anyone who loves words. It is full of tools, information and resources for all writers, with listings of everything from MFA programs to writing contests to conferences, workshops and residencies. My favorite section, though, has to be The Time is Now -- a collection of wonderful writing prompts for both poetry and fiction. In addition, the section highlights 'The Best Books for Writers,' which is a great listing of books that are of interest to those who lead the writing life.

If you choose, you can also sign up for their e-newsletter. I could mine this web site endlessly for ideas and inspiration -- check it out!

Lessons From Poetry

There is a lovely piece by Deepak Chopra on "Lessons From Poetry" -- it can be found here and here. I love this piece because it so eloquently captures the power and beauty of poetry in our lives. My favorite quote: "Poetry is illumination, insight, inner vision, epiphany, and at the same time it is the inspired expression of that illumination."

I want to be a "passionate lover of life" -- and poetry helps me do that.

Food for thought, food for the soul - happy reading.

Poetry Therapy

If you are interested in the healing power of words, then you may be interested in poetry therapy. The National Association for Poetry Therapy is a wonderful resource for information about poetry therapists and their work in a variety of health, therapeutic, and community settings. What is poetry therapy, exactly? Well, according to the NAPT "the term "poetry therapy" encompasses bibliotherapy (the interactive use of literature) and journal therapy (the use of life-based reflective writing) as well as therapeutic storytelling, the use of film in therapy, and other language-based healing modalities." The National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy trains and certifies people to work as poetry therapists.

Words that heal -- this is the power of language at its best.

Poetry Web Sites

There are a couple of favorite poetry web sites that I always turn to for poems, information on poets, articles, and of course, plenty of beautiful words and inspiration. Both Poets.org (from the Academy of American Poets) and the Poetry Foundation's web site are wonderful resources that I visit often. If you haven't already, check them out!

Quote of the moment: "My work is loving the world." -- Mary Oliver, from her poem Messenger.

Forward, into Beauty

I have decided to try and reactivate this blog. I still believe in the premise, in the power of sharing the beauty of words.

To that end - if you haven't read the poetry of Mary Oliver, start now. Stop what you're doing, and go read Wild Geese. Or Poppies. Or Breakage. Or anything she has ever written, really.

Seriously, start now.

And if you don't believe me, read this lovely article about her work that I just ran across - it is a wonderful summary of the power of her poetry.

You're welcome.

The Writer's Almanac

A wonderful, inspiring source of poetry is The Writer's Almanac. Hosted by Garrison Keillor, this program/web site never ceases to amaze me. It brings a bit of joy to my day - and I hope it will to yours as well. For example, just this week I was taken by the incredible, brilliant use of neologisms in this poem.

If you haven't discovered The Writer's Almanac, I encourage you to check it out! Enjoy!

The Beginning

I love words - the beauty of them when combined in an inspired way; the therapeutic power of them to heal and give hope; the ability of them to provide joy and grace for anyone who wishes. That is what this blog is all about - a celebration of the beauty and power of words.

How did this love affair begin? With one book -- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. This is the book that made me fall in love with words, with writing, with Prince Edward Island and the Canadian Maritimes, with the immersive joy of beautiful writing. As a child, I was in awe of Montgomery's descriptive abilities and they continue to inspire me to this day.

I think everyone who loves words has had a similar childhood experience - a book, a literary moment that changed their lives forever and inspired a passion for words. It's a different book, a different experience for everyone... but the essence is the same. For me, it just happened to be Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables.

I still love the epigraph to the novel:

"The good stars met in your horoscope, Made you of spirit of fire and dew." -Browning

And the ending as well:

""'God's in his heaven, all's right with the world'" whispered Anne softly."

There are so many beautiful moments in between, as well. Here are just a few examples of some lovely passages from Anne of Green Gables:

Chapter 2:

"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?"

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Chapter 2:

"They had driven over the crest of a hill. Below them was a pond, looking almost like a river so long and winding was it. A bridge spanned it midway and from there to its lower end, where an amber-hued belt of sand-hills shut it in from the dark blue gulf beyond, the water was a glory of many shifting hues--the most spiritual shadings of crocus and rose and ethereal green, with other elusive tintings for which no name has ever been found. Above the bridge the pond ran up into fringing groves of fir and maple and lay all darkly translucent in their wavering shadows. Here and there a wild plum leaned out from the bank like a white-clad girl tip-toeing to her own reflection. From the marsh at the head of the pond came the clear, mournfully-sweet chorus of the frogs. There was a little gray house peering around a white apple orchard on a slope beyond and, although it was not yet quite dark, a light was shining from one of its windows. "

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Chapter 38:

"She lingered there until dusk, liking the peace and calm of the little place, with its poplars whose rustle was like low, friendly speech, and its whispering grasses growing at will among the graves. When she finally left it and walked down the long hill that sloped to the Lake of Shining Waters it was past sunset and all Avonlea lay before her in a dreamlike afterlight-- "a haunt of ancient peace." There was a freshness in the air as of a wind that had blown over honey-sweet fields of clover. Home lights twinkled out here and there among the homestead trees. Beyond lay the sea, misty and purple, with its haunting, unceasing murmur. The west was a glory of soft mingled hues, and the pond reflected them all in still softer shadings. The beauty of it all thrilled Anne's heart, and she gratefully opened the gates of her soul to it.

"Dear old world," she murmured, "you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.""

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I could go on and on... but this is the essence of my beginning... the beginning of my love for words. What has inspired your love of words? Is there a particular book, author, or literary experience as a child that has launched a lifetime love of words?

Welcome!

Welcome to Words Ever After, where we celebrate the beauty of words!