Friday, March 23, 2012

Let's Write

Dear Family,

I need to write. Do you need to write? How do you deal with all the experiences that you have? For me they crash into each other at the gate of not being recorded, each experience hitting the one ahead in a little smashed pile.

Upon reflection about the last 24 hours, for example, I feel I need to write about what I'm learning about the chakras with Carol Tuttle. (It's so easy to watch YouTube when you're dressing, etc.) What about going to Decker Lake Detention Center with Hannah for Abdi's high school graduation--the gates, leaving all but the key in the car, successive doors unlocking, then quickly re-locking, Abdi's powerpoint and frequent eye-wiping ("I'm just sweating!"), the collection of lost boys with shaved heads transported from a Dickens novel, sports hero images readily employed. This photo shows Abdi three years ago, close to his first encounters with the law. He had three separate extended stays at Decker Lake.
I would write about the glorious onrush of Salt Lakers into our new shopping haven City Creek yesterday in seventy degree sunshine. Estimates say there were over 50,000 of us laughing, gawking visitors there for opening day. We jostled with celebrities and musicians, helpful guides and walking potted plants to see the creek flow in a fantasy land of retail. Poor Gateway! The Macy's clerk failed to give me credit for my gift card. I guess that's gone for good. But I got a great skirt.
I would like to write about greeting Sister Dibb at the Relief Society building, the letter I received from her yesterday, and the Young Women's general offices being in a beautiful bustle in preparation for Saturday's meeting. A mother and her 15 year old daughter from Glendale Arizona walked into the Resource Room trailing their love for each other, their faithfulness and happiness.

What about temple knowledge? Insights are flowing now that I am always preparing for a temple preparation class. The spirit is sending and validating ideas quickly.

Twenty-one ward members gathered in our ward temple night last night. One segment in particular was impactful for Craig, me and others. The spirit prompted me to study the temple weekly after the class is finished. It will be rich and fruitful, I'm sure.

Last night and this morning, I'm thinking again about the correlation between body and spirit, and seeing that I have some third chakra (digestional) issues. I don't know if they are multi-generational, but they probably are in part. I need to listen, release negative patterns, repent, forgive, and keep eating vegetables! Bodies are weather vanes.

I would like to understand much more about our essential oils.

I think about Hannah. And Dad, the wonder bike-riding bishop. What about Fei Fei's ticket last night? That was a new cultural experience for her, and she learned a lot. I could learn more if I wrote about revelation and knowledge after listening to the interview with Arthur Zajonc in this On Being podcast http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2010/holding-life-consciously/while shuffling through the neighborhood this morning with Morgie.
Today the spirit seemed to suggest that I will find a better yin yang energy if I write more of my experiences and insights to show the Lord that I appreciate his tutoring, to cement lessons within me, to share, and to cherish life. Not all days are as wonderful as the last 24 hours, but all days are full of wonder.

This is a start. I need to write. Do you?

2 comments:

Andrew and Ariel said...

Thank you for sharing your brain dump with us :) As you know, I had always been 100% in my journal till I got married. Recently I had begun to feel a lack from my lack of writing. I keep track of so many things so many places, but that is no substitute for a journal, where I can really be free about what I write about as a mother. So, about two weeks ago I started writing again daily, and I haven't missed. I knew it was just something I had to decide to do, and I'm so glad I did. It has helped me a lot already.
I hope you always know that the blog is a great place for you to talk about all these kinds of things you're learning! Again, I love learning from you.

Rachel and Micah said...

I feel the same way. There are so many things on my mind that I just want to get down on paper (or computer). Once they're written down, they become more clear, I remember them better, and it saves brain space currently reserved for remembering things I hope not to forget :). Thanks for sharing some fun things you've experienced lately.