CHECK THIS OUT:
“Books are living things and their task lies in their vows of silence. You touch them as they quiver with a divine pleasure. You read them and they fall asleep to happy dreams for the next ten years. If you do them the favor of understanding them, of taking in their portions of grief and wisdom, then they settle down in contented residence in your heart.” Pat Conroy, My Reading Life
The whole passage is both lyrical and visual, but the part that sent shivers down my arms was “then they settle down in contented residence in your heart.” Titles rippled right along after Conroy’s words.
Books I read over 50 years ago: Anna Karenina, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre.
Books I read a few years ago: The Personal Librarian, Becoming, Braving the Wilderness.
And a few that found a heart place this year: There are Burning Bushes Everywhere; The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse; Maya Angelou’s Letter to My Daughter; Worldly Things; Rainbow in the Cloud.
I’ve been that person who has so many books residing in my heart. Here’s the pearl in this oyster for absolutely anyone who writes: You, me, anyone can be that person who writes one of those books that reside in our reader’s heart. Yahoo!!
THE EASTSIDE TUCSON WRITING ROOM
Join us this Tuesday or any Tuesday to share your writing hope, dream, intention. 40 minutes for Zooming 11:30 AM- 12:10 PM Arizona time with seasoned writers, beginners, published, dabblers, wordsmiths. We all bring our idea and intention to write on Tuesdays. No fee, no interruptions, just time to share, get inspired and motivated, and then go write. Come back and do it again the next Tuesday.
Contact me, Ethel Lee-Miller, if you want to join us. I’ll send you the Zoom link
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people, the power of words, and her writing life. She retired after 30 years of teaching, and semi-retired from coaching, and professional editing. Founder of the Eastside Tucson Writing Room based in Tucson AZ, she’s posted 100s of blogs, and is the author of Thinking of Miller Place, and Seedlings, Stories of Relationships. These days she writes to inspire, to connect with folks, teaching about the power of words, gather writers together, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Ethel enjoys teaching, speaking, and storytelling at Odyssey Storytelling, Artists Standing Strong Together, Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, and anywhere there’s a mic or a Zoom room.