Posts
Hibbs, the bear with two shadows, here :
So today is the B challenge for you two-leggeds?
So I will challenge you
to simply BE.
Not was. Not will be. Just to simply be ... in the moment.
Not to be mired in the bog of yesterday, snared by the clinging embrace of past words, past wounds, past stumbles.
How many ghosts of two-leggeds do you pass everyday who are but wisps of personality ...
their eyes glazed as they are fixed upon the wraiths of yesterday's shames, hurts, and triumphs?
No flower of last week will ever smell as sweet
as the blossom you walk past unseen, focused on the echoes of yesterday.
Does the horizon beckon you with the promise of that agent saying yes,
that publisher's check in the mailbox,
or your name in a great paper's bestseller list?
Is your child holding up a rough drawing of a flower that would smell sweeter than any rose ...
if you but BE.
Be aware of the love reaching out to you in THIS moment.
Did I hear one of you say there is no love in this moment?
BE.
Be aware. Aware of ...
the caress of the Great Mystery's hand of warm breeze stroking your cheek ...
of the promise of life in each beat of the heart within your chest ...
of GrandMother's concert of bird song, grasshopper chirping, and squirrels barking in the trees.
No such concert in your concrete canyons called cities?
Yes, there are. Just BE.
Be aware of ...
The wail of sirens, murmuring the light and shadow of both pain and protection in the same sound.
The mumblings of those who walk past you, muttering to the winds in their strange cellphones to waiting ears across the miles.
The laughter of young children, holding onto the hands of their mothers as they walk fast across the busy street.
Magic is all about you.
BE.
Be and see it bursting all around you.
Just BE.
***
Shelly Watters is holding a unique Epic Follower Contest. Come join in the fun. The odds are you won't win. But think of the fun you will have :
http://shelleywatters.blogspot.com/2011/03/epic-follower-blogfestcontest.html
Title: THE LEGEND OF VICTOR STANDISH
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Word Count: 64,000
In the French Quarter, a modern Artful Dodger is taken in by an undead jazz club owner and finds love with a ghoul Jane Erye.
***
So today is the B challenge for you two-leggeds?
So I will challenge you
to simply BE.
Not was. Not will be. Just to simply be ... in the moment.
Not to be mired in the bog of yesterday, snared by the clinging embrace of past words, past wounds, past stumbles.
How many ghosts of two-leggeds do you pass everyday who are but wisps of personality ...
their eyes glazed as they are fixed upon the wraiths of yesterday's shames, hurts, and triumphs?
No flower of last week will ever smell as sweet
as the blossom you walk past unseen, focused on the echoes of yesterday.
Does the horizon beckon you with the promise of that agent saying yes,
that publisher's check in the mailbox,
or your name in a great paper's bestseller list?
Is your child holding up a rough drawing of a flower that would smell sweeter than any rose ...
if you but BE.
Be aware of the love reaching out to you in THIS moment.
Did I hear one of you say there is no love in this moment?
BE.
Be aware. Aware of ...
the caress of the Great Mystery's hand of warm breeze stroking your cheek ...
of the promise of life in each beat of the heart within your chest ...
of GrandMother's concert of bird song, grasshopper chirping, and squirrels barking in the trees.
No such concert in your concrete canyons called cities?
Yes, there are. Just BE.
Be aware of ...
The wail of sirens, murmuring the light and shadow of both pain and protection in the same sound.
The mumblings of those who walk past you, muttering to the winds in their strange cellphones to waiting ears across the miles.
The laughter of young children, holding onto the hands of their mothers as they walk fast across the busy street.
Magic is all about you.
BE.
Be and see it bursting all around you.
Just BE.
***
Shelly Watters is holding a unique Epic Follower Contest. Come join in the fun. The odds are you won't win. But think of the fun you will have :
http://shelleywatters.blogspot.com/2011/03/epic-follower-blogfestcontest.html
Title: THE LEGEND OF VICTOR STANDISH
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Word Count: 64,000
In the French Quarter, a modern Artful Dodger is taken in by an undead jazz club owner and finds love with a ghoul Jane Erye.
***
Gorgeous post Roland. So hard to leave the past behind.
ReplyDeleteYes, Niki, I know. Sometimes when the night falls, and I turn out the lights, I must remind myself to count the blessings and people who are still left me ... not the things and people who are gone.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice words, Roland
aw Roland you are so wonderful. I had seen that one star on Billie B and thought oh what! I buy the Billie paperback books through the Scholastic Book Club catalogue which my kids bring home from school. They are the sort of children's stories that I want to write one day. Take care Roland XX
ReplyDeleteThanks, Niki. Sandra, my best friend, calls me a knight without armor -- and reminds me why knights don't exist any more and dragons do!!
ReplyDeleteI, like you, dream that THE BEAR WITH 2 SHADOWS becomes a book like the ones I read and loved when young. Have a great weekend. Roland
Beautiful post, thanks I needed that this morning.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Eliza. I'm happy Hibbs managed to help you in some small way this morning. May this weekend treat you well, Roland
ReplyDeleteOn chapter 4 of Bear with 2 shadows and absolutely loving Hibbs' adventure. Marvellous story.
ReplyDeleteJudy (South Africa)
Lovely B to just BE!
ReplyDeleteTake care
x
Lovely. Just lovely. And wise.
ReplyDeleteHibbs is wise, loving soul my friend. Right now I just be an ice cube, its cold here :)
ReplyDeleteJules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Just being is sometimes very difficult to achieve, to silence the busy voices and still the tapping toes. It's wonderful when accomplished, though.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful reminder of one of my favorites---"To be or not to be, that is the question...."
ReplyDeleteInspiring and wise post. Perfect entry for B.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutley! I'm all for leaving the past behind and pressing forward. Living for today and noticing the magic and wonder all around me. It's interesting that you posted the link to the Emily Dickinson poem. Just last week I made a music video inspired by that poem. It's one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteLuana : That post was what attracted me to your blog since that poem has always been one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melissa. The credit all goes to wise Hibbs.
Siv : I vote for to be. Thanks for visiting and commenting. It means a lot to me.
JabBlog : Hibbs just nudged me and rumbled that the hard path and the right path are usually the same one. But he is a know-it-all. Umff. I just got thumped by a friendly Grizzly!
Jules : I wish Hibbs were there to give you a warm bear hug. I hope it gets warmer for you soon.
Thanks, WordsCrafter. The wisdom is all Hibbs', so the praise belongs all to him. Having a talking Grizzly towering right next to you helps you to stay humble!
Thanks, Kitty. Glad you liked my B entry.
Judy Croome : I'm so pleased that you are enjoying THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS. I hope you continue to do so. Let me know. I'm interested. Thanks for buying Hibbs' adventures.
I bet Hibbs wasn't to happy about not being the spotlight for B ...
ReplyDeleteThoughtful, soulful, and caring post, Roland. As always a treasure-trove of writerly gems.
YOUR logline WONDERFUL!!!!!!
I love your entry! Excellent work. Just BE, I like that. I'm going to work on that today!
ReplyDeleteMichael : Hibbs believes this is now HIS blog -- he just lets me share every now and then! And loglines are hard! Thanks for liking mine.
ReplyDeleteHeather : Your kind words mean a lot. Thanks.
Awesome. You are very gifted.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to just BE, but sometimes is can be hard to do.
For me anyway.
Great post!1 I am an also and Epic contestant : ) I was wondering what "undead" was. vampire...zombie ?
ReplyDeleteI like your philosophy. Sometimes it is hard to do. Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteIf you are stuck for the letter M on the 15th, I'm hosting a blogaversary blogfest to celebrate my first year of blogging. Would love to have you join in.
I knew following your blog would be a site I could shamelessly plagarize from. Just kidding. Beautiful writing nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteSo love Hibbs, and thoroughly enjoyable book! Not sure signing up for this challenge was such a good idea: barely any reading time, writing time limited, garden screaming for attention, and to just BE - in the moment - pure bliss. ;)
best
F
Ruth :
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. As a harried rare blood courier who is writing two novels consecutively and writes a blog, I know how hard life can tug at you in four thousand different directions at once. Being centered is hard ... but, oh so essential.
Bekah :
Samuel McCord is unique among the undead. He became blood brothers with the son of Gaia. The strange blood transformed him into what the Apache would call a Gahe.
He wears gloves at all times,for the touch of his right palm upon human flesh drains the unlucky person of their life force.
He, in turn, sees, feels, tastes all the sensations of that person's memories in a quick, unpleasant rush of agony. Needless to say, he "feeds" as little as possible.
Consider me there, Wendy.
Wanton Redhead :
Thanks for the humorous compliment. And thanks also for following. Commenting is even better. Roland
Francine :
I didn't join the challenge for the very reasons you stated. First and foremost, I am a writer. I have to write my books, or why bother with a writing blog at all?
As a harried rare blood courier, writing two novels at the same time, and maintaining my own blog -- it just pares down what time is affforded me.
I will do what I can, but I cannot promise what the challenge asks. Go out to your garden and enjoy the smells and sight of Nature. You owe it to yourself, Roland
I hope I'm posting my comments about your pitch in the correct comment area. Anyway, I LOVED IT! Wonderful pitch, Roland, and good luck with the contest! :D
ReplyDeleteBrenda :
ReplyDeleteThanks very much. And yes, this is where the comments to my pitch go. I am very pleased that you loved it. Still, I do not do well with contests. I think I must be related to Wiley E. Coyote of the Road Runner cartoons! Forever chasing the prize, never catching it. LOL.
I wish you luck with your pitch! May the shadow of Wiley E. Coyote not even touch your pitch! :)
What a timely reminder to just BE this morning. Now, I pause. thankyou.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding Blog!
ReplyDeleteSue :
ReplyDeleteJust visited your blog, which is fetching. Thanks.
Huntress :
Thanks for the compliment on my blog. Hibbs nods. He has taken over my blog it appears. LOL. Come again both you and Sue. Roland
roland
ReplyDeletesorry, i did visit this blog yesterday as i tried to visit and comment on every entry in the contest, but I passed right by your pitch and missed it looking at cute bear pics...whoops...i do like your pitch and premise. french quarter, undead, jazz, and of course love (hopefully some bourbon too)
keep it up and keep in touch i'd love to read this book
douglas esper