Good Advice

(from followyourdreamsandachieve page on Facebook)

Serious Words from a Favorite Funny Man

                                       (from Truth Beckons/Facebook)   I concur!

Powerful Truth Economically Expressed

                               (from Women Illuminating Women/Facebook)

Indeed!

                             .  .  . and that's a GOOD thing! Let's embrace our uniqueness!          

 (from Women Illuminating Women/Facebook)

"Dancing" with Rumi

(Image from Rumi Quotes/Facebook - great page.)

                  
                                             Dancing is not getting up any time painlessly
                                             like a speck of dust blown around in the wind.
                                             Dancing is when you rise above both worlds,
                                             tearing your Heart to pieces and giving up your Soul.
                                                                                               ~Rumi


[I'm thinking the word "loving" might replace "dancing" here— and in these thoughts they just might share the same meaning.  What do you think?]

Inspired by Susan Shapiro

The Dixie Dove shared Susan Shapiro's recent NYT article about making the reader worry you're not okay; in fact, she requires her students to write what she calls "the humiliation essay"

Shapiro says: 

Over 20 years of teaching, I have made "the humiliation essay" my signature assignment. It encourages students to shed vanity and pretension and relive an embarrassing moment that makes them look silly, fearful, fragile or naked.  You can't remain removed and dignified and ace it. I do promise my students, though, that through the art of writing, they can transform their worst experience into the most beautiful. I found that those who cried while reading their piece aloud often later saw it in print. I believe that's because they were coming from the right place - not the hip, but the heart.

 

This interesting piece helped me see, clearly, that I didn't tell as much as I could have—should have if the objective was to sell books and make readers want more.   I have miles to go to reach the point where I care more about my work than about hurting or humiliating others.  Sadly, some of the people I protect aren't nearly as protective of my feelings!  Shapiro adds these words which get a standing ovation from me:

 

This brings me to my one caveat: while readers will applaud your brave, tumultuous disclosures, your relatives won't. The first piece you write that your family hates means you found your voice, I warn my classes. If you want to be popular with your parents and siblings, try cookbooks.

  

Now that gem inspires me. Next time I write first-person nonfiction, I'm hoping the relatives all hate it.  Some of them judged DANCING ON MARS and tried to make me a reservation in Hell; they enjoyed feeling superior.  Next time my goal is for them to hate it!  Maybe I'll even plug them in to some memories of humiliation and self-loathing.

Susan Shapiro's piece was from the New York Times opinionator blog, 12/31/12.  Apologies that the link I had doesn't work.  No clue why.  Didn't want to scrap this post because of that shortcoming.  I'm sure you'll find it if you want to read it all.  Cheers!