that I have not posted a resolution in a while. This is not because I have stopped keeping them. On the contrary, my weekly assignments are alive and well. The essays about them are written, some partly, some fully, and some only in my head. The surgery in the spring tripped me up a bit and led me to fall behind. It doesn’t take much to derail good intentions, a busy week, a small complication from surgery, the ending of the school year all plot to overthrow the best laid plans of mice and Moms.
Then, out of the blue, inspiration strikes. Being the dutiful procrastinator that I am, I promptly ignore it. When it comes a second time though, you must listen. So this week my resolution is to CATCH UP. It wasn’t on my original list but perhaps it should have been. If I am being honest with myself I should have seen the need for this week coming. Fear not dear reader, in full disclosure, I never got to 52 resolutions on the list so this won’t displace some nobler goal that would have led directly to perfection.
Rob and I are fortunate to have extraordinary nieces on both sides of our family. Truly, the next generation of women in the family are really something special. One of my nieces, sent me a most wonderful email the other day with a link to a story she was writing. Sadly, she is my husbands relative so any claim on her genetic ability is lost to me. I’ll find a way to take credit for her eventually though. She is a lovely young women inside and much to our dismay outside as well. She is a double threat. I read the story full of joy. I enjoyed the characters and the story but most of all I loved the voice that I heard throughout. It was Sara’s loud and clear and it felt as though I had spent a couple of hours with her when I was done. When it comes down to it, isn’t that what writing is? It is lending yourself to others. When I am writing, I sometimes struggle with feeling like I am simply dominating the conversation, which of course I am, but there is usually a point to it. Hearing Sara’s voice made me miss my own again. I thank her for it.
Of course, though inspired, life came between the computer and me and so it took the second event to spur me to action. The passing of Nora Ephron was acutely felt. Her work was part of the fabric of my youth and her writing was groundbreaking. I was listening to a radio piece discussing her life with her friend and fellow author who made the statement that the most important thing she did was be true to her voice. Her writing makes you feel like you are having a one-sided conversation directly with her. Once again, here it is, the voice that is so important.
I get caught up in trying to say something meaningful or thoughtful in my posts and the truth is that sometimes it doesn’t matter. Regardless of whether there is anything to be gained by these posts they are true to me. For better or worse, they are my voice. I’ll speak up more soon.
lesliepurchase 