Volume V, Issue 12 March 21, 2016 Word of the Week: sacrifice Dear ,
I am blissfully up to my ears in "Rhys time" these days, as he and his mom (and his dad too, when he gets to work in Charlotte instead of the D.C. area where his new job is), are all settled in here a few weeks after Rhys's baby brother arrives sometime in mid-April.
I'd forgotten what it was like to spend so much time with an almost-three-year-old. Last Friday, as I was brushing my teeth (I have company for pretty much whatever I'm doing these days), Rhys came out with the words "I'm sorry, but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you
will be happy."
"What?!" I said, and he obligingly said it again. And then again. I was sure I'd heard those words somewhere. But where?
Suddenly it came to me. "Is that The Giving Tree?" I
asked.
And Rhys nodded his head and said, "The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy."
What is a Grammy to do, after that, but take her grandson to
the library and check out said book? After some time to play in the house made of books, of course.
We had a great time picking out books, and when I pulled
The Giving Tree off the shelf, Rhys's face lit up and he burst forth with a glad cry of "Shel Silverstein!" (Clearly my daughter is raising her son right.)
I hadn't thought about The Giving Tree in years. A lot of people think it's too sad a book to read to kids, certainly to one's own kids. But I think its message about the sacrifices love can inspire is a beautiful
one, especially with Good Friday right around the corner.
I understand better now than I ever have how happy that giving tree was to do what she did for love of that boy, and I'm glad Shel Silverstein, who gave us so
many wonderfully silly words, and so many sarcastic words as well, crafted this little gem of a love story that is still a gift fifty years later.
I hope you enjoy the small excerpt below from The Giving Tree Rhys inspired me to share with you, as well as this week's prompt combining love, writing,
and sacrifice.
Upcoming WordPlay
WRITER'S WORKSHOP: WRITE YOURSELF!
Reap writing’s benefits—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Give yourself the gift of exploring how creative writing (journaling, memoir, poetry, fiction) can enrich your life, and what your writing can provide for others. You will learn and practice a number of fun, easy tools and methods to help your words flow, whatever your particular interest. Whether you have published widely, sometimes write in a journal, or
haven’t written anything since your senior year of high school, you will enjoy this lively, informative workshop. WHERE: Plaza Midwood Library. 1623 Central Avenue. Charlotte, NC 28205
WHEN: Monday,
April 11, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
COST: Free! TO REGISTER: To register online, please visit the Plaza Midwood Library website here.
More WordPlay opportunities here. Featured Writing
an excerpt from
The Giving Tree
by
Shel Silverstein
WordPlay Now! Writing
Prompt This is WordPlay—so why not revel in the power and
potential of one good word after another? This week, it's "sacrifice."
PROMPT:
What sacrifices have you (or a character) made for love? What sacrifices have been made on your (or a character's) behalf, out of someone's love for you? Make a list, then pick one
and tell the whole story. MAUREEN RYAN GRIFFIN, an award-winning poetry and nonfiction writer, is the author of Spinning Words into Gold, a Hands-On Guide to the Craft of Writing, a grief workbook entitled I Will Never Forget You, and two collections of poetry, This Scatter of Blossoms and When the Leaves Are in the Water. She believes, as author Julia Cameron says, "We are meant to midwife dreams for one another."
Maureen also believes that serious "word
work" requires serious WordPlay, as play is how we humans best learn—and perform. What she loves best is witnessing all the other dreams that come true for her clients along the way. Language, when used with intentionality and focus, is, after all, serious fuel for joy. Here's to
yours! |
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