Usually November is National Novel Writing Month, wherein the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel. However, the goals for the Camp for July are more loose goals and you can set your own word count towards any genre of writing, fiction, nonfiction memoir, poetry, even blogging. Another thing that is awesome about this kind of camp is that you have cabin mates which gives me incentive to meet my goal and adds an element of accountability. Won’t it be fun to watch the word count rise?
We start on Tuesday, July 1st!
Who’s game? Who wants to write, write, write?
Pick me!
Let me know if you’d like to join our cabin. We still have room for about six or seven more cabin mates.
Happy writing!
My soul is summoned, on barren lands, in the middle of nowhere, alone, it stands, free.
My Soul Summons me to Peaceful surrounds, to Light without sounds, to Love
without Boundaries.
My soul is summoned to answer calls Reverberating through subtle halls Where mankind has dwelt for far too long Deciding what is right and wrong. Step outside, there is no quiz Eternity just simply is.
My soul is summoned on wings to fly
High above an earthly sky
To take flight to a new world
A place with love, peace and flags unfurled
What will be there when you arrive?
Not for you to know, only to thrive.
Trust yourself and be off to explore
It is for you to love and nothing more.
My soul summon me through fire rise cast ash greyed mystery disguised walk no need to hide the eyes what calls to see but cross the water these pawmarks, mine, and most of all, for this to know that I am she, am this, forever soul
Where have you gone
My sweetest friend
Are you walking those boards
Pondering
Alone?
Do you whisper to ghosts
That haunt you in night
When the wind blows
Rattling the windows
With a chill
So very cold.
Will you come back again
To play in the light
Where we wait for a sign
That all is well
Will you remember our names
Our secrets
Or words
And will you reach out once more
To those left wondering
The absence of a soul
A friend,
Come
Please
Let’s begin again
Your words fade
And I am afraid
To never see
The whisper of a kindred spirit
Walking these boards
Of the mind.
I was challenged to try on some dialogue with a love topic. My own love story gave me the emotional impetus to write and weave the story. It was fun! I challenge you to try it.
It was Happy Thursday, my favorite day of the week. I jolted to the door in anticipation. There was a sign on the door, “Enter my queen.” What surprise awaited me today? It was Joe’s turn to do the date surprise, a ritual we had been doing for months, the first man to surprise me in return. The invitation got me nervous with wonder and excitement. I opened the door carefully, almost like a peek, as if opening the door full on would be so overwhelming that I would blow out of my skin. Nothing in the living room as I entered. Nothing in the kitchen on the counter. But looking down, there was a pathway which trailed into the master bedroom. There, on the bed, was the most beautiful full length, ornate, Shakesperian era dress. The note beside it instructed me to put it on and await his arrival. I get to be a QUEEN!, I thought. It was every girl’s dream. As a child, dress up was one of my favorite things to do. Note to self: Points to you Joe for hitting that dream spot on.
I slowly drew the dress on so as to savor every moment and not to tarnish this exquisite garment in any way. I awaited expectantly for my love’s arrival.
A sound of a truck door shutting. My King had arrived. When the front door opened, my ears perked to listen for clues to tonight’s events. Some rustling, and then soon, a shout toward me, “Good evening my Queen.” (that was me!) “You may come into the parlor,” he said. I tried to move with as much grace as I could find…a dress like this called for beauty and style.
I entered “the parlor” and there was my King, elaborately dressed in a rich costume to match perfectly with mine, complete with nice brown tights. Another note to self: My man was wearing tights. And oh, was he handsome as ever. Look, his eyes are twinkling!
“Are you ready?” he inquired.
“I think so,” I said with a pause and a small twitch of the jitters and eagerness at the same time.
“You’ll have to wear this blindfold.” He directed me.
What is he up to? I wondered.
Before I put on the blindfold, I looked up and saw Joe’s sister, Karren dressed in a chauffeur’s outfit.
“Hello! “ I said to Karren, and she smiled and waved back, “Hello.” She opened the back seat car door and helped me get all of me in the car without damaging the beautiful merchandise. Joe sat up front with Karren. The two of them chatted back and forth, and I just listened, my senses heightened because of the blindfold. Secretly I was trying to figure out where we were going by tracing the turns like a map in my mind and listening for more clues. I also paid attention to smells and bumps that might give me clues. Train sounds, railroad ties, kids playing, slowing down, a double BUMP! I KNEW where we were!
On our first surprise, I had taken Joe to my friend Rosemary’s house, a beautiful place that overlooked the Kathryn Albertson’s Park, complete with a creek that ran through the yard and a bridge that led to a stunning tea house. He was going to recreate our date! I held my excitement inside so as not to divulge that I at least knew part of the secret…I felt like a kid inside!
My car door opened. “We have arrived my Queen. May I take your hand and assist you out?” Joe asked. I answered, “You most certainly may.” Then, turning to Karren, “Thank you kind chauffeur for the ride.” “You are welcome,” Karren replied.
Joe walked me to the courtyard of my friend’s house and removed the blindfold. It was set up beautifully with the lights on and the rushing of the stream and the sounds of the bugs and birds. Perfect was all I could think of.
“Remember this?” the King asked.
“Yes, very well. Thank you.” I sheepishly replied.
“Tonight we are recreating the magic of our first surprise,” Joe said.
“I was hoping so,” still containing some of my delight.
Joe walked me across the bridge, and we began recreating our magical night, from the story of The Table Where the Rich People Sit, to listening to Yanni, to eating a nice dinner that he had prepared. We laughed together and cried sweet cries of joy together and we relished every moment.
It was time to go, but I didn’t want to go. I wanted to linger here.
Joe took my hand again and began walking me across the bridge. Halfway he suddenly dropped to one knee.
“What?” I thought. “What is happening? He’s on one knee! Is this really happening? Shouldn’t I have had a clue? No, because we dress up like this all the time. It’s what we do. It’s the marvel and fun in our relationship. Was I ready for this? Is HE ready for this? Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that he was saying that he wasn’t quite ready for next steps? What is going on? – All these thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant, trying to make sense of this new moment, so very different from the previous moments and definitely different than other moments we experienced.
Joe started, “This place is one of my fondest memories that is why I recreated it. In walking back across this bridge, I want us to enter a new phase of our lives.” He began fumbling and reaching IN HIS TIGHTS! He struggled and scrambled, searching for something. Alas, he found the prize, a ring box!
“A ring box? This is definitely something different. Again, am I ready for this?
Is he ready for this?” –
Joe continued. “Marie, will you marry me? I will honor you and cherish you and it would make me very happy to have you by my side.” Pause. Long pause. I was sorting through my thoughts for the correct response, when my heart leaped and answered for me, “YES!!!! I will marry you.”
Joe grabbed me and swung me in circles. We were both filled with so much joy. We couldn’t contain it all. Sparks emanated from every fiber of our being. Our world was on fire. Nothing could stop the magic that was happening now. Absolutely nothing.
We walked inside to chat with Rosemary and to thank her once again for allowing us to use her sacred place. She was grinning ear to ear. Her response to our joyous faces, “Never did I think you would find someone who would match your quirkiness so well. Joe is perfect for you in every way.”
“I know!,” I exploded.
And then I turned to Caris, Joe’s daughter, who was also in the room. She was happy too and hugged us and congratulated us.
How could I possibly hold on to all of this memory? I want it to last a lifetime. I stood there in that spot consciously visualizing each and every detail and holding it dear to my heart. This day would go for eternity. I just know it.
YOUR TURN: FEEL FREE TO TRY ON SOME ROMANTIC DIALOGUE OF YOUR OWN AND POST IT HERE!
Now, I get to tell you my favorite moment while I was in Texas interviewing my daddy.
As a prelude to readers who may not know the story, my daddy was a very VAULTED man. He never spoke any emotion. When he chatted on the phone, most conversations were short and spoke of two things, the weather and tractors and sometimes, fishing. But in the last two years, given time and nurturing, the vault has been slowly opening.
While I was in Texas, the vault opened and closed often. I never knew what day, what hour or even what minute my dad would choose to share. I made him my priority. I had some time with siblings, but even they knew my purpose for this trip was to spend time with him. One beautiful moment was when we got lost, Father’s Day Story.
THE BEST PART:
Twenty minutes before people came over for Father’s Day, my dad showed me a paper that had the AA Promise on it. I had seen the paper on the counter, but hadn’t really delved into it. It was brightly colored sunshine orange, and I briefly scanned it. Following intuition, I knew that my dad was showing me this paper for a reason, so I turned the video camera on it and started reading the promises out loud. I read through the entire document so I would have a recording of the paper in case he didn’t want me to have it. Again following my intuition, I was urged to ask him specific questions.
I asked dad what it meant to him when it asked “not to regret the past.” My dad sat back in his chair and began to tell me how the past was a teacher. Upon looking at my dad, he was relaxed and open and telling me straight up how he felt! I wanted to turn the video camera on him, but this action usually caused him to act goofy and uncomfortable and he would make funny faces instead of talking, so I left the camera focused downward so I could at least tape record his words.
On to the next questions: “No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.” Explain this section to me dad. My dad was really engrossed in speaking now and began talking with his hands, which I don’t remember seeing him do…but I use my hands a lot when talking and celebrated that I knew where it came from! Dad was settling in his chair, so I settled back in my chair and began lifting the camera focus up, but still not directly pointing it at dad. He hadn’t noticed too much and was still engrossed in conversation.
Finally, I slouched down in my chair a little more and faced the camera full on and began asking him more questions. Explain the fear you had of people dad? What about your fear of economic security?
My dad didn’t notice the camera because he was fully engaged in answering the question. He understood these questions like the back of his hand. He had lived these questions and knew that his very life depended on him living these principles.
“We suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.” I watched my daddy’s faith and convictions unfold. He had followed his intuition too and knew these promises were vital to keep. And because he kept these promises, we could talk today. I had never heard these promises full on before, though I had attended Al-Anon meetings many times. Someone had told me once that the AA principles weren’t really being used much any more, and many people questioned how much those principles actually helped people in the past. I can tell you from what I’ve witnessed, and that’s more than with my dad, these principles saved some lives and some families, and I’m grateful for them. We continued with our conversations, actually talking and breathing together. So raw. So real. So unpretentious. Me and my daddy.
Then a car pulled in the driveway and the spell was broken. But for these brief twenty minutes which will be a lifetime for me were very beautiful. And I remembered that it was because I was PRESENT in the moment and didn’t judge what happened or how it happened. And I fondly remember, it was just me and my daddy.
Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that,
But the really great make you feel
that you too, can become great. Mark Twain
You must always remember…
You are Braver than you believe,
Stronger than you seem,
And smarter than you think. Christopher Robin
Writing Wings For You 