Léna is also a Regional Manager for Writopia Lab whose mission is to foster joy, literacy, and critical thinking in kids and teens from all backgrounds through creative writing.

"Well, the question is, what do you want to believe? Do you want to live in a world where things are possible, or in one where they aren't?" Cin, Edges.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Renovation & Synchronicity

This is our kitchen. Or, rather soon-to-be-one-of-these-days kitchen. Needs a floor, maybe an appliance or two - some cabinets and counters. A kitchen sink would be nice.

I've been mulling about renovation as a metaphor for life and writing this past week as it sinks into my tough noggin that this is indeed what we are doing, what most of us (or so I like to think) do when we move into a new home. The to-list is daunting, frightening even, as it becomes an a la carte process - what we have to do NOW, and what we can leave until later. The kitchen couldn't be left until later.

A renovation is a spiritual rebirth, making new again.

This house wanted us to come in and take care of it, revitalize it.

I am about to dust off an old manuscript, and "renovate" it. I am "renovating" myself out in Katonah. I must put myself out there and create community, reaching out and embracing other women, other moms, other writers; looking for kindred spirits. I must make new friendships and renew old ones.

I was planning on writing today about the similarities between home renovation and revision, but  I was stunned to read Judith Lindberg's blog yesterday, covering the very same thing. Synchronicity. We had spoken for the first time the day before - she had been one of my grandmother's writing students and was reaching out to talk about kids and the creative process, as she is also a writing teacher out in New Jersey. We were on the same wavelength. Then when she told me that she was the author of The Thrall's Tale, I gasped. "That's on my bedside table at my mom's!" I had picked it out to read next time I was at Crosswicks, which is this weekend! (Read my blog post My Mother, My Librarian)

So I'm in Katonah, but I have met a kindred spirit in New Jersey, and as I blog more, and reveal myself more, I widen the circle for myself, I renovate and renew. I myself am a Work In Progress, like a manuscript, and I'll never be finished. I never want to be finished with working on myself.

But the kitchen - well, that's another story.

9 comments:

  1. love this. (i find myself saying that a lot as it pertains to your writing!) xoxo

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  2. Lena, thank you! A lovely post. I'm thrilled that our growing circles have found a meeting point. Looking forward to more.

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  3. "I myself am a Work In Progress, like a manuscript, and I'll never be finished." What a brilliant comparison! It made me think of one of your grandmother's quotes:

    "We are never satisfied with what we have done. We know that our best is never adequate. If I had to be satisfied with what I have written I'd still be on my first novel. But I wrote what was for me the best book I could write at that moment in time."

    And I will be the best me I can be at this moment in time and trust that like any WIP I'll improve with time, patience, and a lot of focused work. Thank you for this!

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  5. I also like to spend my time in kitchen after research paper writer services to enjoy some delicious and new dishes. I want you to keep writing to provide more beneficial books to your regular readers according to their demands.

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