A Good Grief
All sorrows can be borne if you put them in a story or tell a story about them. Karen Blixen Dana King shared with me a story about Molly Jackson, [...]
Listening To, Learning From..
One of the best ways for us to 'find our voice' is to listen to those who have found theirs. Because so many women, even successful women, find it difficult to claim a central place in their lives and in their own stories, finding self-assured women within our circle of loved ones may be difficult. It is equally problematic to find women within the annals of literature and film who have moved to the center of their story. Over the past 2 1/2 years, you've occasionally heard voices other than mine at 'dare to dream'. They are lovely, compelling voices; in June, you will hear many more.
Read with Me
I love books. I love bookstores. I love to gift books. I love to read. By myself. And especially with my children. It will therefore come as no surprise that I eagerly read "The Amaranth Enchantment" to my daughter Miranda. It was especially fun to brainstorm with her around a list of questions for Mother-Daughter book clubs. When author Julie Berry posts some permutation of what we've written, I'll include the link.
15 for 15: Shane Battier
15 for 15: '15 people that I'd like to interview for 15 minutes each'. In a prior post, I 'interviewed' Peggy Noonan. Some of you may be wondering -- who's Shane Battier and why would you interview a pro basketball player? Good point. Had he not played ball at Duke where my business partner Matt C played, and had the NY Times article titled The No-Stats All-Star not been written by Michael Lewis, brilliant author of Liar's Poker and Moneyball, I wouldn't have paid the article any mind. But I'm so glad that I did.
A 21st Century Country Bunny
I recently re-discovered The Country Bunny and The Little Gold Shoes, a book my dear friend Kathleen introduced to me several years ago. The Country Bunny illustrates the feminine hero's journey: we observe her learning to prioritize, to delegate, to say no, and to get things done. I'll comment on just a few phrases: 1) "Some day I shall grow up to be an Easter Bunny: -- you wait and see!" All little girls have an 'I'dentity -- they know they are the archetypal Rachel. But then many of us forget. The Country Bunny doesn't.
15 for 15: Peggy Noonan
15 for 15 is shorthand for -- 15 people that I'd like to interview for 15 minutes. Will I ever get to interview Peggy Noonan? Though the odds are higher than they were given that I've said out loud, and in a public forum, that I'd like to interview her, it is highly unlikely. Nor is it necessary to our 'daring to dream'.
Book Club: The Amaranth Enchantment
The Amaranth Enchantment will be available on March 3. My 'I' loved Julie Berry's debut novel; the heroine, Lucinda Chapdelaine, embarks on a feminine hero's journey. She connects to and cares for others AND she gets the guy. I'm going to the book kick-off party on March 5 -- would you like to join me?
Like Flowers in Springtime
Last fall I took a hiatus from blogging. There were a number of reasons that played into this decision. One of them, which I didn't recognize at the time, had to do with the days getting shorter, the weather colder. At night we sleep, and in that sleeping there is resolution and renewal, both physically and psychologically. In the winter, we do something similar.
About the Atta Girl…
I did not lose myself all at once. I rubbed out my face over the years...the same way carvings on stone are worn down by water. Amy Tan We needn't look far to observe that most very young girls have a strong sense of self or 'I'dentity -- they are connected not just to the world, but to themselves. My friend Rebecca has a daughter who brims with a sense of self; perhaps that's why I find her so winning. And why too I can't pull myself away from this Minerva Teichert painting.