Body-Mind-Spirit - Inspiration for Writers, Dreamers, and Seekers of Health & Happiness
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression Be careful what you wish for…. Four weeks ago, driving home from Camp Scripps, I thought, I need a three-week vacation. The next day, I got slammed with a respiratory virus (not COVID) that turned into bronchitis. I was ill for three weeks. I can’t remember the last time I was that sick. The hardest part was coughing so hard that I strained my intercostal muscles, making sneezing and coughing painful. It was a humbling experience, which reminded me not to take my health for granted.
In the first week of my illness, I binge-watched a Spanish telenovela with English subtitles on Netflix. By the end of the series, I skipped ahead to the happily-ever-after ending I craved, annoyed with my bout of cloying, pointless drama, which numbed my mind and soul. By week two, I felt well enough to read. I savored Rudy Francisco’s excellent poems in his books I’ll Fly Away and Excuse Me as I Kiss the Sky. I also finished reading On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong—stunning and filled with concise, poetic prose. I also read another novel and memoir I didn’t love but reading nourished my spirit. I also soaked in the hot tub, sweated in our infrared sauna, and spent lots of time in my hammock, listening to guided meditations (Dr. Gail Brenner rocks) and staring at the sky and trees: palms, grapefruit, walnut, eucalyptus, and others. Blackberries are appearing on their prickly vines. I’m still congested and have a lingering cough, but the fever is gone. I started my summer writing circles this week, which I had to postpone by a week. It felt wonderful to see familiar faces—and new ones. The people in my writing circles are smart, kind, accomplished, supportive, and skilled. It’s an honor to facilitate these online sessions. I’m uplifted by what I hear and am continually amazed by what can be expressed on the page in thirty minutes. It’s remarkable what happens when we step out of our own way as writers. Judith Antelman, a new writing circle participant with an MFA in poetry wrote this to me after our first meeting: “For the first time this year, I feel like I’m able to write again. Your energy is beautiful and gentle in the best possible way, and I appreciate the safe and comfortable place you create for us. Thank you for a wonderful introduction to this most gratifying writing circle.” It warms my heart to receive a message like this from a new student. I try to make newcomers feel welcome, and this is especially important because many circle participants have been with me for months and years. The Write Where You Are community delights and sustains me. I’ve missed my peeps while on break, and it’s sweet to be back in the circle, listening, guiding, and connecting through readings and meaningful discussions. Next month (God willing), I’m heading to Lake Tahoe for a family wedding, where I hope to sneak in a couple of vacation days and visit with my Cuban relatives, whom I haven’t seen since well before the pandemic. I’m also looking forward to spending time with my sister Laura and her husband, Jim. I continue to practice slowing down, being present—as opposed to being in my mind on its roller-coaster of rumination—and celebrating the wonders of being alive—and the miracle of health and healing. I have a few openings in my upcoming writing circles, which begin October 7. Please let me know if you’d like to join us. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
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