I never rise to the level of my expectations. That is simply fact. And yet, something about the human mind assumes that expectations (which in my case are always sanguine) are a true reflection of reality. Simply want, and you will receive.
And boy does this culture reinforce that terrible lie.
Of course, the actual truth is that we fall to the level of our training. Which is not a depressing thought at all. It is a reflection of the fact that we should be working not on building castles in the air (expectations), but on putting stone upon stone for a cathedral that may be built in generations (training).
And the really wonderful thing is that working on training gives one great joy. We are quite intended by our Creator to work on our training. That is what we are good at. Our bodies, our embodied selves, our hearts. Even as our minds wander :)
So I'm been taking care of my training these past two months. January was a Sabbath, of sorts. I've been taking much time to read. Widely and deeply, filling my creative well. I've enjoyed reading old stories to my children and thinking about how deeply they speak to our hearts.
And I'm thinking about how to live and work in a way that will help me go deep, create beautifully, and live the lift of an artisan.
Because the word for 2024 is:
Craftsmanship...
...in everything I do. Life, work, love, pray. This is so hard for me. Because it means doing ... LESS.
*GASP!*
But life has intervened, and I no longer have a choice. It's time to craft. To take things slowly so they don't break from the strain of doing too much too quickly.
I hope you'll come along with me for the ride!
Reader's Nook
Enjoy some of the more interesting and odd long form writing I've been indulging in these past few weeks. Some are comforting, some are incendiary, but none will leave you bored :)
Writers' Circle
I've been busy prepping for year 2 of St Basil Writers' Workshop. To my surprise and delight, we've had three times more applications this year than last year, and some of the samples of writing that I've... well... sampled... have been really good.
I'm excited to get started on year 2. If you're an advanced beginner (or early intermediate) author who needs just a little push for your almost-completed manuscript to get it publishable, then check out our program here.
For all your writerly types, here's a nice blog post about how to arrange a writers' retreat for yourself and then not fail at it miserably :)
Thanks again for coming along with me for my writerly adventures!
~Nicky
P.S. Just to warn you all, next week you'll get more than the usual amount of emails from me. One of my writer courses is part of a massive bundle that is absurdly, even sinfully, cheap. And I'm going to be pushing that bundle a bit obnoxiously.
Writers: keep your antennae up. Everyone else... well, you've been warned :)
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