Volume X, Issue 24
November 24, 2021
Word of the Week: cherish
Dear ,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
You were probably expecting thankful, or thanksgiving, or perhaps gratitude as the word of the week. But this Thanksgiving, in which many of us will spend time with extended family for the first time since early 2020, merits a word with more punch and power: it deserves a verb. (Verbs, if you haven't yet learned this, are the parts of speech that pack the biggest wallop, at least in my
book.)
This thought struck me just yesterday afternoon as Richard and I strolled the Myrtle Beach State Park pier. Something about the slant of light in the sky, the sparkle of sun on the ocean, the rough-hewn boards under our feet, my arm crooked through the arm of this husband of mine for over 37 years, converged into "a cherishing so deep" for the gift of being alive in a beautiful place on a beautiful late November
day.
You might have wondered why the words above, "a cherishing so deep," are in quotes. These words that come to my mind in moments of deep appreciation are from a poem of Marie Howe's called "What the Living Do."
I cannot even tell you how much I love this poem, and what a comfort it is to me on days that everything goes wrong. "What the Living Do," an eloquent love poem to a beloved brother who has passed away, begins with a clogged kitchen sink, a grocery bag that breaks in the street, and spilled
coffee; is suffused with yearning; and holds "a cherishing so deep / for my own blowing hair, chapped face, and unbuttoned coat that I’m speechless. . . ." (You can listen to Krista Tippett interview Marie Howe for an episode of "On Being": www.onbeing.org/programs/marie-howe-the-poetry-of-ordinary-time/.)
My wish for you is that, despite the loss and challenges that you may be enduring, any fresh heart ache, your Thanksgiving holds much to cherish, including the marvel of 0simply being alive, "blowing hair, chapped face" and all.
Love and light,
Maureen
TAG, I'M IT! 65th Birthday Celebration Sale
(Because I'm celebrating all month long)
Both the year-long TAG, I'M IT! (on sale for $16.65) AND three-month TAG, I'M IT! (on sale for
$6.50) offer—in no more than five to fifteen minutes—a simple way to recap and celebrate the very best of each day of your life. The practice of writing out your “T’s” (things you’re thankful for), “A’s” (actions you can acknowledge yourself for), and “G’s” (gifts you’re grateful for) is a transformative one, especially combined with the final step, I’M IT!, in which you intentionally choose three do-able, most-important-to-you actions you’ll take the next
day.
The TAG, I'M IT! journal grounds you in two important habits: keeping your focus on appreciating and celebrating the good in your life and intentionally accomplishing what matters most to you. You’ll also create a record of your most meaningful, happiest events and experiences.
Start your journal—or restart, if needed—whenever you like. (Though a new year, or a birthday, is a perfect time.)
An introduction with tips and ideas will help you make this practice your own. Soon, you’ll notice that you’re living your days with more joy, presence, purpose, and intention.
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How Do I Say Goodbye? and Praying You Goodbye
I created the process shared in these two books in June of 2002, shortly after my mother died, as a way to mindfully mourn this loss—and celebrate her life. I shared it with a beloved friend, the Reverend Rebecca Taylor, when she lost her father, and she encouraged me to make it available to others. Here it is, in two versions, both of which
offer quotes, reflections, prompts, and space to write about your loved one, as well as beautiful photographs by Wendy H. Gill that enhance each part of the process. Either version makes a thoughtful condolence gift for a friend or family member.
How Do I Say Goodbye? is for those of any faith, with quotes from many different sources to accompany the process. It can be purchased on Amazon here.
Praying You Goodbye is specifically for Christians, with accompanying quotes from Scripture chosen by Reverend Rebecca Taylor. It can be purchased on Amazon here.
More WordPlay opportunities here.
WordPlay Featured
Writing
What the Living Do
by
Marie Howe
Johnny, the kitchen sink has been clogged for days, some utensil probably fell down there.
And the Drano won't work but smells dangerous, and the crusty dishes have piled up
waiting for the plumber I still haven't called. This is the everyday we spoke of.
It's winter again: the sky's a deep, headstrong blue, and the sunlight pours through
the open living-room windows because the heat's on too high in here and I can't turn it off.
For weeks now, driving, or dropping a bag of groceries in the street, the bag breaking,
I've been thinking: This is what the living do . . .
Please excuse the smaller font this week. I wanted you to experience Howe's poem in its original long-lined couplets.
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 "cherish."
PROMPT:
In Marie Howe's "On Being" conversation with Krista Tippett, Howe discusses how her brother John taught her, in the last days of his life, that what she was really yearning for
was right in front of her, in each detail of everyday life. This knowledge infuses "What the Living Do." Have you, or one of your writing characters, ever experienced that deep a cherishing?
This Thanksgiving week, write about what you, or one of your characters, real or imagined, cherishes, in any form/genre that you care to. If you write about someone that you cherish, share your writing with them.
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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