It is time for another meeting of the IWSG - a chance for all of us to unload the burdens of our writerly hearts about our writerly arts. The question - As you look back on 2017, with all its successes/failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?
And I would answer - quite honestly - nothing. Why wouldn't I relish the opportunity to go back in time and polish up my behavior a bit? I know that all of it is worthwhile. If I changed anything I would learn less. I learn from bumping up against the world, not from sitting fat and sassy in the center of the tree, holding onto the solid trunk, but from dancing out on the skinny branches, falling through the sky, landing so that the air in my lungs explodes out of me leaving me panting on the ground to stand up, climb up and try again.
This year I learned a ton - I failed muchly and biggly. I failed at understanding the Indigenous culture here in Labrador - I learned so much. I failed at trying to impart wisdom hugely and catastrophically at times - I learned so much. I failed at finishing the mystery I've been working on for two years - and I learned it isn't ready to be written - yet! I started a memoir about my time here in Labrador and I did get my words done for NaNoWriMo but more importantly I won a hard and good appreciation for the memoir form. I have been deeply energized by that. I got a new hip this year - in April - and I learned with great difficulty that my body is precious and being able to move is a gift that I will not take for granted. I struggled with politics both here and in the world. I do not like what is coming out - the poison - but I am so grateful it is surfacing and being dealt with and not rotting the world from within. I learned that no matter what - I don't know what I don't know and I must keep humbling myself in the eyes of the teachers - I will bend down low. I know that next year I will know things I can't believe I hadn't learned before but there it is - 65 and I am such a foolish student. But I do know that - so good on me!
Now - back to working on my memoir. What fun this is and terrible too - full of memories that I would not touch up for all the world.
5 comments:
I am sorry it took me so long to visit, Jan! I understand completely what you mean about learning from what happens, even when it isn't what you wanted. I think being open to letting life teach one is so important.
Experience is truly the best teacher, and it sounds like you experienced and learned a lot in 2017! Kudos for living life instead of watching out the window as it goes flying by. I think it's true that a story has to be ready to be told or written . . . something for me to think about. Happy New Year, Jan!
So sorry to have missed this last month. I think you are strong and humble, which makes the best combination. Delighted about your newest project. Keep up your caring and positive attitude. You always make me feel so very good.
"I don't know what I don't know." Love that statement. Sounds almost Socratic. Thanks for the post, and I agree that I wouldn't want to take back (most) of my mistakes, stumbles, or failures in life. Who would I be without them? I don't know, but I'd be someone else, and I'm pretty happy with who I am right now. Happy writing to you, and happy 2018! :)
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