Words in Print: Thursday's Reflection

You can find me in Barnes and Noble today. All of them or at least most of them. And you might be able to find me other places, too. Just go to the magazine section, and there I am. 

I am there in the form of an essay I wrote called "The Comfort of

Shawls" in the latest issue of Bella Grace, Life's A Beautiful Journey.
Bella Grace

I have had other articles published in various publications, but for some reason this one pleases me the most. Or maybe I have simply forgotten the moment of delight when I know something I have written has been accepted or the surge of pleasure when I see the piece in print. It would be nice if there were a third wave of happiness when a big check comes in the mail, paying me for my work, but BIG checks and being a writer are not normally synonymous. Oh well.

Why am I so pleased this time? Well, for one thing Bella Grace is a luscious-looking quarterly publication. It feels good in your hands and the photography entices you to see beauty all around you. Even more than that the essays, none of them long, whisper connection between your inner voice and your outer movement in the world.  I am thrilled to be included in this issue. 

Here's what I notice about myself, however, and this surprises me. I love knowing that what I write is read by others, and I am honored when you tell me what I have written resonates with you, but more and more what nurtures me is the writing itself --the writing and the time in stillness uncovering what needs to be written and finding the most authentic way to express myself. 

Writing is my way to wake up, to stay awake. Writing is one of the ways I pray.  

In "The Comfort of Shawls," I write, "It seems to me that in order to know comfort, we are called to comfort others, to share our shawls with one another, to wrap our shawl of warmth, concern, and comfort around someone else, and to be present to another's need." In a way that is my mission statement as a writer. 

Therefore, today I write this post, and I work on a chapter in my spiritual memoir, and I note other ideas for essays to submit to Bella Grace and other publications. 

An Invitation

Of course, I hope you will purchase your own copy of Bella Grace and maybe buy a copy as a gift. As periodicals go, it is not inexpensive ($20), but I know you will find pleasure and comfort in its offerings over time. I would love to know what you think. Plus, I would love to know what you do to wake up, to stay awake.