Write On The Sound...

47/100

I have spent hours today enveloped in writing, with little left over for my blog. I spent the day at a writer's conference in Edmonds. I go almost every year and have not been disappointed. Today I heard a lecture by Natalie Goldberg. She wrote the book Writing Down the Bones.Her speech was great and I felt very connected to the people around me listening to what she had to say about getting in touch with the deeper writer within.

There is something so empowering when you spend time with like-minded people. I can't begin to describe how much I enjoy spending time with other writers at this conference. Now, some of these people are a little off the beaten path (okay, some are so way off the path they need a Garmin) but that desire to write? That push to compose? It's wonderful immersing myself in that energy and connecting with the people that swim in that particular pool. I suppose every human craves a community. A place to feel loved, connected, accepted. I feel that way with my writing group (I <3 you Teri, Val and MaryAnn) and I feel that way with the people at this conference. I may never publish anything, but who knows! The world has room for all sorts of magic and dreams are a part of being happy. I remember once telling someone in a jovial manner 'hey, I could publish a book and never have to work again!' His response was, "You know that isn't going to happen, right?" well phooey on that response! I *like* to dream, it is what makes me a good writer, a good story teller and a good friend. I believe being around people who also like to dream and tell stories and laugh.

Being around people that write makes me light up inside. I like hearing and reading their writing, I like how they all want, no it's more than want, it's *need* to tell the stories inside of them.Some people get that community feeling from biking with friends, or horseback riding, or being part of a group that makes glass 'flowers' out of old antique dishes, or gardening groups or reading groups or one of a million other hobbies that bring people together...

I like writing. I like being around writers. Some of them grate on my nerves like steel wool on porcelain, and some? Some of them are like finding family I didn't know I had, but feeling as if I have known them all my life and being so very glad to see them. I met a woman like that today.

If you have a passion... something that makes you sing inside? I hope you follow it. I hope you connect and find a community where you feel loved, accepted, cherished and appreciated. Because I have and I do.

I thought I would share something I wrote in a flash fiction class today, the 'assignment', was to take a phrase (I chose the phrase 'because I could') from some of the handouts and then in about five minutes use words from the previous sentence to compose a piece of 'flash fiction':

I left
because I could
because I could walk away
because I could no longer face your eyes
your eyes that held no passion and never had
once, when I was young, my eyes held great passion
and I thought my great passion was enough
but it was not
and I am not
and because I could?
I did.

:). Not bad, not great but for 5 minutes? I thought it wasn't too bad of an effort. :).

Off tomorrow to the conference again. Looking forward to day two of learning, sharing and just basking in the joy of being part of my community.

Peace,

MaryKate