For me, this past year ended up being a rich one for learning. Though I'm limiting this post to three key takeaways in the interest of brevity, when you take the time to assess the key things you've learned over this past year - birthday aside - don't limit yourself. I've found that doing an exercise like this each year enhances my gratitude for the good fortune of my life. In my 75th year, I learned ...
*To be more generous with myself. Early in 2024, while touring Taliesin West - Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio in Scottsdale, Arizona - the richness of that creative space helped me to see that my lifelong reluctance to spend money on experiences like this was both foolish and short sighted. The best $39.00 I spent this past year was on the audio tape I listened to while roaming those grounds. I resolved that same day to begin being more generous with myself.
*To begin paying more attention to poetry. The leader of a writer's group that I belonged to for a while frequently used poetry as a prompt when kicking off her sessions. I've always enjoyed poetry and have even tried my hand at it, but repeated exposure to more of it this past year convinced me to pay more attention from now on.
*To honor my long history as a musician. This key learning arrived during the week I spent at a guitar camp in August. As I listened to one of the great teachers tell his story, I began sketching out my own. This simple writing exercise gave me a more nuanced perspective on my 60+ year musical journey.
I'd welcome hearing your key learnings from this past year. I suspect others might as well.
What’s your favorite poem? Happy birthday dad ❤️
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poem, huh? Now that's a GOOD question and one I'll have to give some thought to. The one I eventually cite may not be my "favorite", but it will be A favorite. Stay tuned and thanks for the thought-provoking question. Love you sweetheart and thanks for the birthday wishes.
DeleteThe Red Wheelbarrow By William Carlos Williams
ReplyDeleteso much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
Anonymous; Thank you.
Deletehttps://www.poetryfoundation.org/
ReplyDeleteAnonymous #2; Thanks for the link.
DeleteBluebird by Charles Bukowski
ReplyDeletethere's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see
you.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I pour whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks
never know that
he's
in there.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say,
stay down, do you want to mess
me up?
you want to screw up the
works?
you want to blow my book sales in
Europe?
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes
when everybody's asleep.
I say, I know that you're there,
so don't be
sad.
then I put him back,
but he's singing a little
in there, I haven't quite let him
die
and we sleep together like
that
with our
secret pact
and it's nice enough to
make a man
weep, but I don't
weep, do
you?
Anonymous #3; Thank you for helping me sustain one of my key learnings from this past year via including this intriguing poem as a comment.
Delete