Posted by Mark H. on March 13, 2002, at 22:36:19
In reply to Mark H and Cam, meandering update, posted by trouble on March 13, 2002, at 21:18:42
Trouble,
Thank you for the good update. It would take me two weeks, full-time, to write the reply you deserve to even one of your posts. And you toss off these gems -- these treasures of compassion, humor and insight -- at the rate of several a day sometimes.
I'm not really good at anything except appreciating others. I see angels and demons, recognize genius, ache for the loneliness of artists and lovers. I've found work shaping others' words into somewhat compelling prose.
Your writing is incredible, wonderful, thrilling. You are so close to being publishable, if you wanted to collect, arrange, edit, organize and (most importantly) sustain your efforts and themes over the weeks or months it would take to shape a volume of work.
But I don't want the concept of "writer" to limit you or to be felt in any way as an expectation.
It's really OK if you write better than 90% of published authors yet treat your gift as though it were nothing. It's really OK to work with Alzheimer's patients, to find your way wherever it opens.
Do you know the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Tonglen? The library might have a copy of the "Tibetan Book of Living and Dying."
I'm as permeable as a well-worn tee-shirt. After reading a post from you yesterday, I went for a walk today from my office and found a copy of "Mercury" to buy.
I'm still reeling from "pretty vacant." In my reading, there's a comma separating the words.
As a child she was pretty, vacant of ill-will, trusting, always assuming the best in others. They mistook this generosity of heart for a dull wit.
Slowly, slowly so as not to be consumed by the flame.
Your friend,
Mark H.
poster:Mark H.
thread:97849
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020313/msgs/97873.html