A Writer’s Illusions and Delusions

My heart quivers in anticipation

As a thousand butterflies do pirouettes in my belly

Photo by Dids on Pexels.com

Inspiration:

I’m awake and breathless with anticipation.

Or is it my allergic asthma because of the old oak tree outside my open window?

My belly quivers as if a million caterpillars crawl around trying on butterfly wings

Or… was it the chicken and curry from last night’s dinner?

When is it an illusion or a delusion? When does a delusion become an illusion or is it the other way around. Is it that difference in perception that makes one appear “crazy” or impractical?

Ah, the questions that keep writers up at night.

Sweet Lemonade Out of Wrinkly Limes.

She was a gentle spirit who sang her prayers, but even the saintly have limits. She was an artist, a singer, a storyteller. She was a mother, a daughter, a wounded healer sought out by her neighbors for comfort and answers. She was my hero, my teacher, my friend.

She was crafts and science projects of carrot tops in shallow saucers or bird seeds in eggshells which later resembled a miniature forest on our windowsill. She was pastel colored chicks at Easter, picnics, and carousels at the park in summer. She was happy Christmas carols a shiny aluminum Christmas trees with bright blue ornaments.

I was her daughter – sometimes rude, sometimes impatient, but always in awe of the brave woman who could make a tall glass of sweet lemonade when life gave her a bowl of tart, wrinkled, old limes.

full drinking glass with slice of lime — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The Cat, the Rooster, and the Young Mouse from Aesop’s Fables

Letter C (A to Z April 2019 Challenge)

I am using two books for comparison as I share opinions or impressions of Aesop’s Fables. The first is Aesop’s Favorite Fables Children’s Classic Collection, illustrated by Milo Winter and was first published in 1919. The illustrations and moral teachings are certainly consistent with that era. The “Great War,” WW1 had just ended and the ongoing issues at the time in this country include such things as “the Prohibition,” “Red Scare,” woman’s suffrage, worker strikes, and race riots.

The second book I’m using is Aesop’s Fable, illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner, Jerry Pinkney and published in 2000. I borrowed the book from the public library because of the illustrations. Although the pictures are less in Pinkney’s book, I find them pleasing to look at for children and adults alike. The language is simple and more in accord with the way I speak. The moral of the story is presented closer to reflecting my personal view. I find it a more positive and empowering message. I will use some of the illustrations from these books throughout the challenge.

Today I’m sharing a story I was not familiar with, but I find it amusing and certainly reflects a lesson in life that I learned long ago.

“APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING. “ Jerry Pinkney (2000)

It seems a young mouse was beginning to get restless about getting out of the mouse den and seeing the world. He urged his mother to let him go out independently to explore and have an adventure. The wise mother agreed but told him he couldn’t stay away long. She instructed that when he was out and about to pay attention so that he could tell her everything he saw.

A short while after, the young mouse came running back as quick as his little legs could carry him and shaking in terror. “ Oh, Mother! There are strange things out there! I was enjoying the pleasant walk when I came across a beautiful creature with a thick golden fur coat and bright, shining eyes. She seemed so kind and gentle as she lay quietly in the grass. When she saw me, she waved her long fluffy tail and smiled. I would have gone over to speak to her and make her acquaintance, but out of nowhere came the most frightening beast! He was tall and loud with red meat hanging from his chin and on his head. The creature frantically tore at the ground with clawed feet, and when he saw me, he beat his arms hysterically at his side and shrieked ‘Cock-a-doodle-do!’ I was so frightened; I came home as fast as I could!”

“My dear son,” said the mother, “that beautiful, kind and gentle creature that you speak of is a cat. Cats would like to have young mice like you for dinner. The terrible monster you describe is but a rooster that prefers seeds or grains and small things he finds in the grass. He would certainly not come after you. Be thankful that you escaped with your life. Next time you when you go away, be more careful and remember, never judge others by their looks.”

How many times do we fall into that way of thinking? If we are honest, we must admit that we all have our biases and prejudices. I am reminded to “not judge a book by its cover.” I try to trust my gut and give others the benefit of the doubt. It’s a belief that is not 100% foolproof but for the most part, it has served me well.

#AtoZChallenge #April 2019

Illustration by Milo Winter (1919)

Belling the Cat from Aesop’s Fables

Letter B ( A to Z Challenge April 2019)

Through the years, the story of Belling the Cat like many of Aesop’s fables has been re-written and adapted to different cultures and social norms of the moment. It is a simple story of a community of mice coming together to solve a common problem, a CAT!

The mice held a meeting and complained that it was impossible for them to go about their day peacefully with the threat of the big cat springing on them unexpectedly. As I am not an expert on mice culture and certainly not one to sit and observe mice, I suppose a family of mice would pursue happiness by being involved in activities such as building nests and gathering food.

In any event, the mice mulled over the fact that each time as they went about their business, the cat, being a hunter by nature, would do what cats do. He would bring his long sleek body close to the ground and with padded feet, quietly sneak up on them; He would pounce on one unlucky victim and capture it within his sharp claws. The other mice would scatter and run as fast as their little feet could carry them, knowing that they would never see their friend again.

The deliberations went on for hours. There was much arguing about what to do with this cat that was disrupting their lives and threatening their very existence. Ideas came and went, and finally, a very young mouse said: “it’s very simple really, hang a bell around its neck so that we can hear him coming and run for shelter before he grabs someone.”

“What a great idea! An amazing plan.” An elderly mouse who had not spoken before said, “I’m glad we all agree. Now my friends, who will have the courage to step forward to do it?” There was silence, and soon there was the shuffling of hundreds of little feet. It seemed that when looking for volunteers, they all took one step backward and the deliberation continued.

“Brave words are easier than brave deeds.” Aesop’s Fables by Jerry Pinkey

Have you ever been to a planning meeting at work, school or church and found yourself in a similar situation? Most times the issue is not anything dangerous, just time-consuming or merely new. There have been group meetings where we’ve pondered options that seem good in theory, but no one was willing to put into action.

It always amazes me that Aesop’s stories are still relevant today. We have come a long way and have developed many great projects and ideas, but over the centuries our nature remains the same.

If Aesop were telling this story today, he would probably say: “ All talk and no action leaves us in the same predicament.” Don’t you agree? `

#AtoZChallenge #April 2019

Another year with A to Z Challenge

Aesop’s Fables for Our Times.

clip art — the grasshopper and the ant (clipart)

A year ago I participated in the A to Z April 2018 writing challenge. I had read about it on a blog that I follow, and it seemed like a perfect opportunity for me to commit to writing every day. I was too late to register for the official challenge or develop a theme, but none the less, I participated by sharing mental snapshots forged in my memories and used the letter of the day for my title or opening sentence.

I promised myself that the following year, 2019, I would be prepared with a theme and even planned to write some posts beforehand so that I would not feel so overwhelmed or pressured to write posts daily for 26 days. Life became somewhat complicated as the year passsed and my best intentions did not get me very far.

I do have a theme; however, it is Life Lessons with a Parable-A-Day. The idea for came about as I reviewed and revised some of my writing. I noticed that most of my blog posts share a memory and a life-lesson or a philosophy of life that I have as a result of my experiences. Sometimes my thoughts may seem cliché while others are a new take on a common belief.

Aesop’s fables have been a favorite collection of mine since I was a child. An elderly neighbor gave my mother a few vinyl Disney albums with music and stories that had belonged to her children. We played them over and over. Through the years, I’ve remembered stories especially the catchy tune “The world owes me a living, which ends with “I owe the world a living.”

My beginning post reminds me that we can count our blessings, but the world does not owe us a living. If we are able-bodied, we must work and strive for our own happiness and personal fulfillment. I’m not necessarily talking about money or status; I’m talking about taking personal responsibility for our lives, including reaching out for help when we need it.

Hope you can enjoy this old Disney cartoon that I’ve included. It’s funny to see how far they have come with animation. Please come back and share your own favorite fables and life lessons.

https://youtu.be/NWAIOuWoa6g?t=22

#AtoZ Challenge #letter A

Haiku: Dreams of Winter

On cold winter nights,

Dreams of lying in our arms

Keep me cozy, warm

Work- a New Day, a New Chapter

“And suddenly you just know it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” — Meister Eckhart

I began a new chapter this week. I started a new job. I work as a Part-time Library Assistant at a local public library, and I am so excited about it! This job was one of the first positions I applied to several months ago. The process of getting here was excruciating though.

The other day I read a post from a young woman just out of graduate school but who had been working in her chosen field in different capacities for a few years. She wrote about how frustrating and disheartening it is to be a young person looking for work these days. She described feeling that she was jumping through hoops while trying to decide what the interviewer was looking for based on the odd interview questions. Looking for work does feel like a full-time job without the pay.

I found the article interesting because I felt the same way but from a mature person’s perspective. I was beginning to wonder if I kept getting turned down because of my age or too much experience. Generally, the application process is all done online, and even though you are asked to upload a resume, you still have to fill out a multi-page application in which you manually enter the information already on your resume. I found out that although some sites ask for a resume, your interviewer may only get the application questionnaire. Once you receive an invitation for an interview, there may be pre-interview personality testing or online testing of your general knowledge.

In my own experience, sometimes during the interview, the answers to the questions seemed so obvious that I stopped to second-guess myself wondering if there could be any other answer. For example, one retail giant asked. “If you get a phone call that there is an emergency at home what would you do?” I answered that I would tell my supervisor and find coverage if needed. As the interviewer stared at me blankly, I wondered if it was a trick question. Should I have responded, that I wouldn’t get an emergency call at work because my phone would be turned off and in my locker?

One employer had called a former co-worker as a reference. She asked if he thought I could tolerate not being in charge; and would I be able to adjust to an entry level position? I had honestly addressed the reasons for applying for this particular position working with families in the community. What was she thinking? After that incident, I thinned out my resume so that I did not appear intimidating on paper, but better qualified for an entry-level position.

I was so happy to get the phone call with the job offer for Part-time Library Assitant. Over the past several months, I had applied to several local libraries whenever I saw a vacancy advertised. As I was growing up, the library was a significant part of my life, as it was for my children and grandchildren. As an adult, I enjoyed volunteering at a local public library through a previous employer’s community partnership program. Although I sent applications to various companies with better salaries, I still prefer to work in a library. I believe compensation for work can be measured in different ways. I consider that libraries continue to be an essential part of the community and I wanted to be a part of maintaining that legacy.

I am looking forward to working with creative people who enjoy reading and writing stories as much as I do. I am anticipating good times in this next chapter in my life. Wish me luck!

Why Bring Flowers?

Used to be Love, Flowers, and Goodbye

Tildie slowly exhaled and closed her laptop. Every morning after meditations, she checked her emails and social media. Now and then Tildie would come across the story of the eighty-year-old man who walked five miles to have breakfast with his wife in a memory care facility. When people asked him why he continued to go daily for so many years if she didn’t remember him; his answer always gave Clotilde “Tildie” Delsapo reason to pause: “She doesn’t remember me, but I remember her, and I haven’t forgotten how we used to be.”

Tildie dressed this morning with an old Barbara Streisand – Neil Diamond duet on her mind. The song, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” had taken on a new meaning for her. On rough days she would sing it fighting back the tears.

Today Tildie decided to stop on her way and buy fresh flowers from the garden nursery. She knew Sergio could still appreciate the beauty and perhaps the sweet fragrance would trigger a memory. She would make sure there were sprigs of lavender with hopes that somewhere in his new world he would find her.

At one time Sergio and Tildie were two spirits bound by love flying high above the clouds and earthly troubles. It wasn’t all rainbows and chocolates, but she had chosen to file the bad memories in a separate place. Tildie remembered the laughter, the tenderness and the adventures they shared. She remembered their late night talks. In her arms he was able to unlock the complex emotions he kept hidden from the rest. Tildie recalled how finding a smiley face on a post-it note in her notebook, kept a silly grin on her face for the rest of the day.

Sergio Miviere taught her many things about the world, about love, about herself. He helped her believe in her talents and pursue her dreams. Sometimes as they ate ice cream by the seashore, they would people watch. They would sit close together and whisper stories. They could build on each other’s imagination to create vignettes about their surroundings. “How do you come up with this stuff?” he told her often as he giggled like a small boy.

He had a scholar’s mind and could rationalize or give explanations in great detail about anything. Teaching was second nature, everything was a life-lesson, and she loved to hear him talk about the world around them. Yes, she thought, intelligence IS sexy.

She first started to notice a problem, when he talked to her of people she didn’t know, or he would say, “Remember the other day we were at …” but she had never been there. He had been there for business or with friends. She wanted to ignore the signs, but others started to ask concerned questions.

By far the saddest moment was when Sergio finally put aside his pride and acknowledged that his difficulty went beyond distraction or the stress having a lot on his mind. She watched him change before her eyes as he became angry and fearful of what was to come. Tildie promised Sergio all her love; to be with him forever.

In the years that followed they took extra care to cherish every moment. Every sunrise and sunset marked another day they were together. They received each day in gratitude, but little by little Sergio went down a path that left Tildie behind, alone to make difficult decisions.

The day Sergio moved to the care center was just another day of muddled talk and confusion for him. He stared at the ceiling as they helped him to bed unable to find words to ask questions. In that bed, Tildie left a shell of the man she loved, but also a piece of her heart. That night she couldn’t sleep, and the next morning she was at the Center by his bed before he awoke. He didn’t know who she was, but she knew him. She remembered who they used to be, Sergio and Tildie.

On good days Tildie thought there was a flicker of recognition. He would let her lay in bed with him. She liked to believe that his spirit remembered hers. She held him and sang to him “May I have this Dance?” until he fell asleep.

Today there was a vase of fresh flowers on the desk by the window with sprigs of lavender. Sergio’s eyes widened, perhaps in recognition of a memory they shared, but he no longer had the words. These moments had become Tildie’s life. How could she learn to say goodbye?

The more I write, the more I become aware of my process, and I’m beginning to see patterns in my writing. Even though I don’t post every day, I make it my business to sit down and work on something. I wrote this piece for my critique group this week. It’s flash fiction, and my challenge is trying to stay within the 750 words. I looked at some things in my drafts folder and started a few other stories, but nothing seemed to motivate me enough to put energy into it.

I went to see the new “A Star is born” last weekend. It was excellent on its own but some aspects still reminded me of Barbara Streisand. I started playing some of my favorites and was inspired to write this story with limited knowledge on the subject. It was well received in the group. Coincidently, another writer shared a personal account and a few poems about the same topic from a different point of view followed by some interesting discussion. I got some great suggestions which I will work on in the future, but it will certainly be more than 750 words.

(Pictures are not my own. Borrowed from Pexels on WordPress)

A Book Review from a Writer’s Book Club

shallow focus photography of couple ants holding book figurine — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The focus

I joined a new book club because I like to read and discuss books with likeminded people. A book club offers the opportunity to explore books and authors that wouldn’t otherwise catch my attention, and I was glad to find this one through my local writers’ group. The club’s focus is Twentieth Century Classics from a writer’s perspective. This month’s pick was “Quartet in Autumn” by Barbara Pym.

I have been writing and making up stories all my life, but it has been within the past few months that I’ve decided to own the title of “writer,” or “unpublished writer” to be exact. It had been a while since I had participated in a book club group and I liked the idea of reviewing the book as a writer to determine what makes it a classic.

The author and her book

The author, Barbara Pym, introduced the Quartet, the four main characters, at a 1970’s London office where they create an ensemble of unremarkable and unmarried middle-aged office clerks waiting to retire. Working together for many years, they develop a vague relationship bordering on friendship, but the characters, accustomed to living alone, can’t imagine crossing the line from co-workers to friends. The book has moments of British humor and elements of surprise.

I had never heard of Barbara Pym. As I began to enjoy the story, I looked her up to see what else she’d written. It turns out she has quite a following, and she often is compared to Jane Austen. There is even a Barbara Pym Society. While her writing has similarities to Austen’s stories of everyday English life, one book critic in a 2015 New Yorker article points out that Pym’s novels don’t have the fanciful happening ending. In “Quartet in Autumn” however, the story of these unassuming characters leaves one with this message from Letty Crowe: “But at least it made one realize that life still held infinite possibilities for change.”

How it relates

I liked the book from the beginning and considered it a page-turner as I read with anticipation trying to guess how the writer was going to play out the lives of the low-key characters in the story. You may have noticed that my tagline “Verbal Snapshots of a Simple Life.” That is precisely what caught my attention about “Quartet in Autumn.” It triggered an interest in more books by Barbara Pym especially after I read critics describe her work as “comfort food.” That’s precisely the feeling I would like to create in my writings. The book speaks to my conviction to treat each person with kindness because I don’t know what they struggle with in their life. Her stories focus on people doing mundane things, as everyone does in real life. If we take the time, we can notice that each person has a story and as I’ve learned, each person is the star of their own movie.

Six people besides me attended the book club meeting; three didn’t like the book at all, one was lukewarm, and the woman who recommended the book is a member of the Barbara Pym Society. Discussing books in such groups highlights the power or magic of the written word. It reminds us that how we receive a book or a story depends on where we are in our own lives. Is the writer tapping into a universal truth? Can the reader identify with the characters, why or why not? Is there anything familiar in the storyline such as time, place, occupation, relationship or social nuance?

For example, half the group thought the main characters were mere “blobs.” They saw the characters as grey people in a dark room and read the book with no expectation that it was going to offer anything more. Their final synopsis was that the novel was boring and depressing. I think however that the author’s intention was just the opposite. I think she wanted to show that we adapt to changes in our lives and find unexpected opportunities where we thought there were none. Sometimes life forces us to find alternatives to suit our personal evolution.

Writing style and expectations

It is not surprising those folks that found the book boring appeared to be of the mind that an adventure is around every corner and if it’s not there, one is obligated to find it. Fortunately, not every writer is a Hemmingway or in need an adrenaline rush to make life appear worthwhile. I tend to enjoy finding treasure in simple things. I don’t mind a quiet walk in the mornings. I do enjoy exploring and experiencing new adventures, but I am content with living a simple life where each day may or may not bring new opportunities for drama or swashbuckling pirates for example.

In the interpretation of the book, beyond the printed word, one realizes that the people portrayed in the story are not monochrome at all; they all have a particular story, and their backstory brought them to where they are in the present. The characters dreamed of different plans for their life. They didn’t envision themselves in a backroom office waiting to retire, but life happens, and they made it work for them. Even at this stage of life, they found as long as one has breath, it’s never too late to change course, and make a difference one person at a time. That is a message that I want to send in my writing as well.

Recommended

I would recommend this book to curious minds like myself, willing to discover what’s beyond that which you expect to see. I would challenge the reader to see the value and worth in others that may not be like you but have a place in your world. Take a good look at the people in your neighborhood such as the clerk at the deli counter, the valet at the parking lot, or the maintenance man in your building. Say good morning, thank you or I appreciate your service. It means I see you; I recognize the humanness in you is the same as it is in me. I believe if we can regain that human connection we make the world better one person at a time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my book review. I’m planning to continue to share my impressions and let you know what I’ve learned from these great writers. It will be my turn soon to pick three classics for the book club to choose. We have a list, but I’d like to hear your recommendations. Thanks for stopping by.

Here’s a little more about my writing style. https://rosalind.life/2018/04/19/letter-r-reality-and-beyond/

pile of hardbound books with white and pink floral ceramic teacup and saucer — Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

First Critique Group

If you’ve read my posts before, you may remember that I started taking writing seriously in March 2018. I’ve been working on my craft just about every day. If I’m not posting here, I’m reviewing and editing or digging deeper to get to the real story. I recently joined a local writer’s association and today I had my first meeting with a critique group that meets once a month. This particular group regularly has five to six members attending, which is nice to allow everyone a chance to voice their opinions.

As it happens the group just started changing the format and the focus is on flash fiction. That suits me fine because I tend to be wordy. I can use the help. I like to give as much detail as possible to that a person can get the full effect and feel as if they are sharing in the experience.

This week’s topic was to write about an embarrassing moment and the lesson learned. We were to bring six copies for folks to read along. Of course, on my first day, I left the folder with my copies on the kitchen counter as I headed out the door. I’ve Emailed to the group and I’m including my entry below. Let me know what you think.

Critique Group: Embarrassing Moment

In the year before my retirement, “Knee Deep” by The Zac Brown Band was my theme song. That last winter, as I ran away from a New England blizzard, I prayed that tune would carry me through my golden years. I packed a truck, drove south and arrived at my daughter’s doorstep in Florida. My ultimate goal, was for “the only worry in the world” to be “Is the tide gonna reach my chair?” That plan gets complicated in the middle of the Sunshine State, and in a few months I packed another truck and drove further south.

Shortly after arriving in Aguas Claras, Florida, I realized that early retirement is not all it’s cracked up to be. My permanent vacation would have to wait. I became a Realtor, and after a few months, a busy team hired me as an assistant. A significant part of his business was at least thirty minutes away, but I agreed to take the job. It was a no-brainer. It was a great opportunity, and with my handy GPS, I already felt I conquered the South. I became familiar with the new area; clients were starting to refer their friends, I was on my way.

One day, I took a particularly chatty group of snowbirds to search for a piece of paradise that would fit their budget. They brought friends for second opinions, and half the contingency followed my car in caravan style. The first couple of houses were in the general vicinity where our team regularly conducted business, but they wanted to check out condos near the next county to the north. It would be another 15-20 minutes away, no problem. I had taken clients before. I knew how to get there.

We visited a couple of units on the other side of town, and when we finished there, the passengers in the other car needed to stop for gas. While waiting, I remembered that the route I found the last time was not the best to showcase the community. It was Old Florida, but not the charming, sweet-tea–on-the-veranda scenes from the brochures. There were old houses that needed maintenance and broken down cars or tractors were the lawn ornaments out front. I wanted to reprogram my GPS to avoid that route. All I needed to do was go back to the main road and not take the first right. The GPS would automatically “recalculate” and we would be all set.

For some reason, as we drove away from the gas station, I turned West instead of East, and it was downhill from there. The traffic had picked up by now, and I lost my bearings. I drove a little further to where I thought there was a road that would connect to back, but the GPS kept yelling at me to make a U-turn. There were “NO U-TURN” signs posted all along that road. I was flustered, I could feel my face burning, but I kept going following new the directions on the GPS.

I kept driving hoping the GPS was going to turn to the main road that ran parallel, but the GPS has a mind of its own, and it didn’t. The caravan kept heading north, which was fine but instead of moving toward the East, the road curved out toward the West. We drove through what could have been a picturesque fishing town with water from the bayous overstepping their boundaries and reaching the edge of the road. It wasn’t.

After a while, we reached the State Road where I could finally turn east and get to the condo community. When we got there, and as soon as the passengers in the other car got out I was reprimanded for taking a long way around. A drive that should have taken 15 mins took 45. I played it off as if I was showing my out-of-town clients the scenic route, but no one was amused. Needless to say, they didn’t buy anything, and I never heard from them again.

Lesson Learned: Don’t trust the GPS and map out your destination the old-fashioned way if you have no idea where you are going.

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