Inspired By.

If I really think about it, I was never blessed with just one mother. I think that when we celebrate Mother’s Day, we’re not just celebrating flesh and blood, but the role that mothers play in our lives - to nurture and guide and encourage us, to create space for us to grow into the people we were meant to be. 

And so, yes, my mother knew me better than any other person on the planet, in a deep and intimate way that could only have happened because I grew out of her very being, an honest to goodness miracle. But this Mother’s Day, I’m learning to see beyond the label of mother and think in terms of the abstract, the larger sense of motherhood, the legacy that spans generations whether you came from her womb or not. 

And so I dedicate this post to my Mother, the one that grew me and birthed me and raised me and knew me for 25 years, and also to the women that will be with me in the years to come, helping me navigate the next 25(+). You know who you are, and I feel more gratitude for each of you than I have words for. 

Happy Mother’s Day, with all my love. These sweet links are for you : 

Give her a name.

Like mother like daughter.

"We pray for sleep, for poop, for patience, for energy, for forgiveness." The real story of motherhood.

Mama for a Moment.

Tina Fey's "A Mother's Prayer for Her Daughter."

Every Mother Matters.

A healthy diet of bread and words.

"For every house you enter, you must offer healing..." A favorite poem for anyone who has ever loved their mother.

[Photo : coming soon to my Etsy shop.]

Inspired By.

Yesterday was the perfect kind of rain. The sky was split between sunshine and storm clouds, and while neighborhood children still played on bicycles and swing sets, those clouds broke open in a downpour and everyone got drenched and no one cared. They screamed with delight and I couldn't help but stand on my porch and get drenched with them and watch the rain and sun collide and make everything glisten. It was a happy, warm rain, the kind that you can dance in, the kind that feels like a relieved exhale. And I exhaled with it. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and happy reading : 

"And I tilt my head and re-read my life." The realism behind optimism.

"What's in a year, you say? An eternity on one hand, and a single moment in another. That, and the worlds between." 

"What the fine art market shows us, though, is that real value isn't created by this volatile fame. Consistently showing up on the radar of the right audience is more highly prized than reaching the masses, once then done. This works for every career, even if you've never touched a brush." - Volatility and Value. See also : A talisman for our times.

The Dirty Secret of Language.

"But take solace in what unites us… all of which quietly collide one word at a time." - Life of a Writer.

"Sometimes they ask how I continue, and I reply, glibly, 'Because of contractual obligation.'" - The Agony of Writing.

A fascinating look at life alone. 

Editing giggles.

[Photo.]

Inspired By.

Meet Sue, the famous dino from the Field Museum! Isn't she gorgeous? 

Actually, as my brother and I walked past her on our visit last weekend, my first thought was that she bears a remarkable resemblance to my face before I've had coffee in the morning. 

Just kidding... 

Honestly though, this may resemble my facial expression at the office every day this week after working for hours on the press release to end all press releases, and after reading a snippy email. 

And this may resemble my reaction last night after glancing at Facebook right before bed and seeing a really nasty status and subsequent conversation thread about someone else between two rather oblivious "friends." My response was rather explosive. 

Today I'm nursing what I've come to recognize as an anger hangover. It's not pretty.

And so I'm just going to be honest with myself, with you, with everyone who might ever fall victim to my wrath and insecurity. 

Sometimes I am not a nice person. 

Sometimes I handle things badly. 

Sometimes I tweet my problems. 

Sometimes I need to suck it up and deal. 

Forgive me? 

Meantime, here are some encouraging links for your perusal. Have a wonderful weekend, friends.

Amanda Hesser's advice for writers. 

Body Politics.

The Hardest Part of Blogging. 

"To be with your truth while being with other sacred, courageous pilgrims..." - On Not Being Alone.

A few thoughts on writing from one of my favorite authors ever.

The worst advice ever and the "shame" gremlin.

Can I just have Jess answer all my emails from here on out?

What are your happiest moments?

[Photo.]

Inspired By.

“There’s something sacred about reading a blog post on someone else’s site. It’s like visiting a friend’s house for a quick meal ’round the breakfast table. It’s personal — you’re in their space, and the environment is uniquely suited for idea exchange and uninterrupted conversation. In many ways, we should be treating our blogs like our breakfast tables. Be welcoming & gracious when you host, and kind & respectful when visiting.” – Trent Walton, via Swiss Miss.

I've been incredibly blessed over the last three years since starting this blog. I am being completely honest when I tell you that never once, no matter what I've posted, has anyone written a terrible comment here. I've deleted a few spammy ones here and there, but no one has ever left an anonymous insult or criticized me harshly. I've shared a lot about my life here - about losing my job, about being in therapy, about being a newlywed, about being under-employed, about losing my mom. I've written about my iTunes account getting hacked and losing $800, I've whined endlessly about my lot in life as a writer and I've revealed a lot insecurity. Sometimes I get crickets, but most times I just get encouragement. 

This week I shared an article on Prodigal, and it was one of the hardest things I've ever written. It reveals a lot of what I'm struggling with in-the-moment, and I cried through every word I wrote. I shared a lot about my faith and my lack of it. And the response was overwhelmingly positive. 

Thank you.

When so many things in life - my jobs, my relationships, my family, my self - have felt broken, this space has given me peace, assurance, a place to dwell in the positive, to enjoy the good things. It's because of you, dear readers. I'm happy to have you to chat with around my "breakfast table" of a blog. 

Here are a few delightful pieces I found from other positive spaces around the web this week. Enjoy. 

A tactful guide on commenting etiquette.

5 Reasons I Didn't Retweet You.

"Patience is bitter, but its fruits are sweet." - Jean Jacques Rousseau. A Writer's Most Important Virtue.

Want to do meaningful work? Keep reading. (Some seriously scary stats on the decline of literacy in adulthood.)

What a Life! Happy birthday, Maya Angelou.

Voices of our loved ones.

"I believe in building relationships. All kinds, any kind, if only because it instills a bit of purpose, however small, into the everyday." On being a dedicated, brings-all-her-friends kind of patron.

And because it's just really funny and completely accurate : Kate weighs in on the leggings-as-pants controversy.

[Photo.]

Inspired By.

Everything has sprung anew. The magnolias and forsythias have bloomed, their branches reaching happily towards sunlight. My heart has warmed with their vibrance, too. I can hardly believe that we sleep with windows open and walk around in shorts and tank tops in March in the Midwest. 

Each year I’m always relieved that the miracle of spring has happened again, because I’m always a little afraid it won’t. Sometimes those weeks between late January and early March feel so cold, so dead that I lose faith that the world will thaw and thrive again. 

It did. It always does. 

A few good reads from around the web this week : 

Magnolias.

In brief, beautiful bloom. (An old NPR story that still brings tears to my eyes.)

Letters to a young poet. 

A real wedding.

Mama for a moment.

A novel idea.

Romantic femininity.

[Photo.]

Inspired By.

You may have noticed that posts were a little scant on the blog this week. Between wrapping up nearly a dozen Etsy orders, drafting another story for Prodigal, celebrating bff’s birthday, celebrating rare 70 degree days in March in Chicago, and a busy week at work, the blog was low on the priority list. Nevertheless, here are a few things I did get around to reading.

What are your thoughts on Pinterest?

“Rather than constantly pondering whether our reach is ‘big enough,’ we should also be looking at the depth of our actions.” - Jess Constable.
 

20 Things to Know in Your Twenties.

10 Reasons to Love.

"I pray He’ll draw them in, whisper to them that they’re worth it." 

“He saved my dad from his heart, and saved me from myself.” 

Facebook : annoying habits, the reasons that aren’t good enough to unfriend, and the reasons that are good enough.

[Photo.]

Inspired By.

“The stars were quiet. The river spoke in some other tongue, some vernacular for fish.”

- Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz

I’ve just finished Miller’s spiritual memoir (in preparation for seeing the film adaptation in a few weeks!) and I really loved the heart of it, and the writing was so good; this small passage is one of many that I found absolutely delicious. The words latched themselves to my memory instantly. I continue to roll those phrases over and over in my mind like candy on the tongue, savoring their flavors. That’s why I loved this post from him about using verbs versus adjectives. His sentence is a perfect example of that principle at its best.

While I pick up the pages of this novel, here are some good reads for you to explore.

The mistake we make.

A letter to the resistance...

"...to the seedling on the sill. I am the small, green heart, all bud and shoot and tendril."
(Poem discovered thanks to Sam's tweet.)

Worst movie of all time? Hard to narrow it down to just one.

Good advice from a dad and a grandpa.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I always knew the woman I wanted to be.” - Diane von Furstenberg via The Everygirl.

[Photo and excellent reflection on Blue Like Jazz here.]

Inspired By.

Le sigh. I just drove my best friend to O'Hare so that she can catch her plane to Paris for an international pastry-making competition. I die of jealousy, but I've had my turn already, nearly four years ago. It's her first time traveling internationally, so I'm happy for her. I'll go back someday, right? Right.

Meantime, I sit in the quiet of my little apartment in the Chicago suburbs as the sky begins to fall in big white chunks - a late winter snow storm that I could do without. I hate the Midwest in March for the hangover-like feeling it leaves on dreary afternoons and its unpredictable swings in climate. It was fifty degrees and sunny only two days ago. I'm ready to bare my legs in a gauzy dress and go without a jacket and feel sun on bare skin and sit outside on my porch late at night.

For now, I guess I should use it an excuse to brew an extra mug of earl grey and settle in with my current read. Yes, that sounds like a good idea... Happy weekend, loves. 

There are few things in life as romantic as dating your spouse. 

A guide to fighting the monsters. 

Not Heaven someday, when we get there, but right now, right here. 

Praise God for transition.

Beautiful words about my favorite city. 

My reading life in a nutshell.

Doesn't this book look like a juicy read?

Then trying to get back in... which makes me want to read this book. 

A glass of wine and a talk with God.

[Photo.]

Inspired By.

I've fallen in love.

It started innocently enough... A friend introduced me to him at a Starbucks on a rainy day. We acquainted ourselves over London Fog lattés, and now the more I get to know him the more I realize I cannot live without him. His name, you ask? 

Earl Grey. 

There's just something about his flavor and scent, a citrusy fog that is musky and deep like the best kind of cologne, that brings all of life to a low hum. In his presence I find myself unwound, loose and swoony and deeply content in the way that only a dashing British gentleman can do to a girl.

This love affair has gotten out of hand, but like any true romance, it's a helplessness I enjoy. My best friend further enabled this relationship by making an Earl Grey Panna Cotta for dessert last night... yes, the best tea in the world transformed into creamy spoonfuls that are even more satisfying than the best tiramisu you can imagine, the epitome of relaxation and luxury. 

And on a rainy snowy afternoon at the end of the week, what could be better than a cup of Earl Grey and a good read? Treat yourself... 

When no one is watching.

A very old ritual against the backdrop of modern society.

Word portraits.

Authenticity online : on abs and imperfections and the worst two months ever. (Love these women.)

Quietly keeping it together.

And my new favorite blog. And my other new favorite blog.

[Photo and recipe.]

Inspired By.

Source: kendieveryday.com via Bethany on Pinterest

Friends, my blog reader is feeling a little stale. It's like going to my closet full of clothes and sighing, "I have absolutely nothing to wear…" This a complete lie, but it's just that feeling that nothing feels new or particularly exciting that makes me feel a little... ennui. The truth is, there are some great pieces in my "favorite blogs" closet, and I love them, and I'm absolutely going to keep them around, but I'm ready to do a little shopping! 

So give me some good deals, okay? Tell me : what's your favorite blog? Leave your favorite in the comments.

My one criteria is not that you share a writing blog, but that you share a blog that has good writing. There is a difference, don't you think? It has to be a good read. And please, make sure it's one that's easy on the eyes. If the design is terrible (i.e. too crazy colors and backgrounds, ridiculous and unreadable fonts) I will immediately click away from it and won't bother reading. See? The clothing analogies are endless when it comes to blog shopping! 

Despite my restlessness, here are a few that I've found this week that did catch my attention.

"A study published last month in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social  Networking found that the more time people spent on Facebook, the happier they perceived their friends to be and the sadder they felt as a consequence. What we’re losing, Ms. Turkle said, is a healthy form of compartmentalization." - About over-sharing and over-obsessing in social media.

In a similar vein, Jess Constable talks about smurgging. 

And let's differentiate between "thinspiration" and "healthspiration," otherwise known as the dark side of Pinterest. 

The top 5 regrets of the dying. 

The academy is always late to the party (but Adele still deserved the sweep.)

"While I waited, I kept writing." Great advice about submitting book proposals to publishers. 

And what's your writing routine? I'm still working on mine. 

Can't wait to explore your links! Have a good weekend, friends.

Valentine's Day : Lovelinks

Source: blackwhitebliss.com via Michele on Pinterest

The thing I love about stories is how long I carry them with me after I first hear it. I come from a family of story tellers. Each memory is told and retold until it becomes part of the fabric of our very lives. Stories, I think, help us cope with life on many levels. It's why we love books, film, television, art - they reflect life at it’s most intense, it’s most poignant. The truth behind each one is an underpinning that holds our lives together, weaves them into something bigger than just ourselves.

And isn't that what Valentine's Day is all about? Stories remind us that truth is real, love is real, humanity is good. A good love story will keep your heart afloat when life overwhelms you.

So here is a list of lovelinks to inspire you and remind you : Hallmark didn't invent love, but they did give us one more excuse to celebrate it.

Valentine's Day, 1945.

Leigh's blog series : This is How We Met.

The three movements of every love story.

The bravest and most beautiful affair.

When the words don't fit.

Wondering what to say to a broken heart today? Take these sweet suggestions.

Boys : Date a girl who reads.

Girls : Swoon over the return of the nice guy.

Never waste a rubbish relationship.

"Because what is love? It’s friendship — deep, long-lasting, intimate connection with someone who knows you better than anyone." The best way to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Okay, let's be honest : Valentine's Day does have some strange origins that have nothing to do with candy hearts or greeting cards.

"Love poetry is the only type of poetry that can be put into practical use" — which is to say, it supposedly results in 'spirit becoming flesh; words becoming deeds; the two of you hopping into bed.'" - Celebrate the practicality of poetry and put it to good use with a few of these :

"My love has two lives, in order to love you..." Just found this beautiful love poem from Pablo Neruda, and the sentiment of it sort of reminds me of this song that I can't stop listening to.

A funnier kind of love poem : "You had me at no duh."

And remember this sweet love letter? Write someone a love note today.

And in case you missed these : my husband, a Zeppelin shirt, and a good date idea.

Xoxo, B.

Inspired By.

I feel compelled to say something.

I hope that my posts this week didn't mislead you.

Let me explain.

I lost my mom less than three weeks ago, and yes, I feel totally different than I anticipated.

But.

I hope that my motivation and my words and my thoughts didn't lead you to believe anything other than that this grief is real. I'll be honest with you, I'm getting the "you're doing so great!" line a lot. Maybe that's my fault. I've been giving the blanket, generic, "I'm doing fine" line, too. And I appreciate the support and encouragement. Really, I do.

Yes, I have newfound motivation for my morning routine when I expected to be unable to get out of bed. Yes, I am writing now more than ever when I expected my words to run dry. Yes, I am focused at work when I expected to be incapable of functioning. Yes, I am making plans and goals for the new year when I expected to be stagnant indefinitely.

But this difference that I feel in my everyday, in my faith, in my self, is downright befuddling. Confusing. Strange. Surreal. It is not a "great" or a "fine" or a word that denotes anything close to easy.

I've encountered something, and it has stolen my breath away. I sense the vastness of life, and it feels so much larger and deeper than before. And it is a terrifying magnificence that evokes wonder and awe and worship and shock and fear. Maybe something like the astronauts felt the first time they looked back to earth from the moon. Or how a mother feels at the peel of an infant cry in childbirth. Or how a diver feels when he happens upon the Lions Mane Jellyfish. It is all surreptitiously heartbreaking and beautiful. I feel grief, and also peace.

And I don't get it.

But I do get it.

But I don't.

And so really, all I want to tell you, is that should you survive loss, like most of us have to do at some point or other, don't expect anything. Prepare yourself for the reality of life and death, but try to let nature run it's course, not just in the person you are losing, but in you. Let life overwhelm you and change you. I hope that you get that part of it, at least.

Meantime, here is some good reading for the weekend.

What makes me feel beautiful : wine and words.

"The real question at the heart of Harry Potter is, Can love win? And it’s answered in Snape, the second cruelest person in the world, next to Voldemort, who is somehow transformed by love." - Snape is my type of hero.

"Give away everything you know, and more will come back to you." Sound advice, no? House of Reps, are you reading this?

New level, new rules.

Here's to the mess.

Oh, and this photo.

Inspired By.

It's late and I'm exhausted. I am soul tired and bone tired and trying hard to grasp onto the good things and face reality, such as it is. Mom sleeps next to me, here in our own quiet room of a fifth floor oncology wing. For a few hours this evening she was coherent, ate a small bowl of soup and her headache was gone, her fever was down, her levels looked good. A glimmer of hope.

I don't know what to think about anything. I don't have a lot of words to say. And for the first time in a month, I don't have a paintbrush in my hand.

I have memories, good ones. I have prayers. I have a whole host of angels that call, text, tweet, message, and show up live and in person to love on us and ease the pain. And I have these little links of happiness that have made hard days a little brighter. I hope you enjoy them as I have. If you found a good link this week, do share.

Clouds.

Light.

Warmth.

Lovers see like artists do.

Unearth your story.

And a random comfy chair I'd love to curl up in right about now.

Inspired By.

This song has been on repeat in my head and in my earbuds for well over a week now. Her voice is rich and buttery as it swells in intensity to a ringing sharpness that sends a chill down my spine. It is a reminder of what I'll never be. If I could sing, steal a voice that isn't mine, it would be hers, the way it rises above layer upon layer of strings and slow, steady beats to a pinnacle of meaning, of sweetness and then down again, settling into itself like a folded blanket.

But each of us has our own voice. It is unique to us, and it is unique to the ear of the listener. Our words and our tone speak to us and who we are, our intentions, our secrets, hidden or exposed. They speak to the listener and who they are, how they interpret what they hear, and how they respond to our voice with their own. A dialogue.

Our voice is one among a sea of voices, a reverberation of echoes that often beg the question : am I audible? Maybe if I say it as she said it, I would be heard. Understood.

It is this I struggle with in various capacities and contexts :

To trust the strength of my own voice. 

To let it ring true or fall silent as the moment demands. To write, speak, sing with my own words, whether or not anyone is paying any heed. To temper my envy and insecurity with respect for each voice in its uniqueness and respect for a shared reality : no voice can be duplicated. Each is autonomous. Each is temporary. We are tasked with choosing words carefully while we have the opportunity to say them. 

Here are a few voices from around the web that I appreciate :

"And that is when art serves us best — when it helps us not escape our pain but transcend it."

"It's a confusion like I've never felt. Not the swirling words of competing reasons, but a blank page." Without Assurance. 

Some good news for us artsy-fartsies. 

"Her split reminds us that the planning of a wedding is not the same as the planning of a life together."

When the Words Don't Fit. 

When your worry feels the size of the grand canyon.  

Because I'm obsessed with food. 

"The silence is his breathing in." Autumn Wind.

Questions I have for people who have their life figured out.

Feel free to share a few of your favorites from the interwebs this week, friends. Happy Weekend. 

Inspired By.

I'm headed home in the morning to spend the weekend with my family for a belated birthday celebration. As I go I am distinctly aware of the blessing that this moment is. Holidays and birthdays and anniversaries tend to flag a reminder: you're in a different place than you thought you would be. That can be good, and it can be bad. A few months ago I was afraid of my birthday. I was afraid that it wouldn't be celebratory, because at that point my mom was in the hospital, and we weren't sure if and when she would leave. But this birthday has turned out differently, beyond expectations. She's home, and the distinct cheer in her voice leaves me speechless, deeply grateful beyond words. 

It's this gratitude for life, this gratitude for grace that is my motivation and inspiration for the project I'm working on, soon to be revealed. And so I ask you, as I often do when we reach the end of another week, what is it you're grateful for? What inspires and motivates you? What makes you laugh? Cry? Create? Demonstrate your gratitude. 

I touched briefly on this topic in my guest post this week, but next week I want to go in depth with you about the experience of traveling abroad and how it changed the way I approach life, my writing, my dreams and my goals. If you have had a similar experience, I'd love to read about it. Please email me at shewritesandrights[at]gmail[dot]com to share a guest post next week about traveling as it relates to personal, creative and spiritual growth. 

Until then, here are a few lovelinks from around the interwebs this week... 

What do Elvis Presley, Nelson Mandella, George Washington and Picasso have in common? 

Confessions of my generation. 

Flick Chicks. 

Happiness or Holiness? What should really determine a good relationship. 

On Writer's Block, Poems, and Mom Jeans. 

"The times I argued I was an adult, I was a child. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the fervor nor the interest to make my point." No Children in New York. 

I love Missy Durant's imagery here about holding the door closed. And also this quote, "...That’s because I wrote a book. Which was a good idea, until I realized people would read it. " Um, yeah. 

[Image via. The yellow trees are always my favorite...]

The Age Issue.

It's funny. I don't feel 24. And perhaps that's because I've never been 24 and the feeling of it will settle into my skin as the next 365 days wear on. Sometimes, I feel older. The kind of older that comes with experiencing life at a faster pace than a lot of people my age. Sometimes, I feel way too young for the things I'm doing, especially when people have the habit of telling me so. Sometimes I feel far removed from the younger me, the adolescent me that felt quiet and sensitive and frizzy-haired. Sometimes I am her again, and the present feels like an alternate universe I stepped into, unknowingly, as I opened my closet to get dressed for school.

So what advice can I give myself as I step into a new year?

I think,

given the unpredictability of the present,

given the patience required in this stage of waiting and growing,

given the fact that I am now officially 24 years old and I do not have things figured out as 14-year-old me might have expected,

the thing I must do is learn.

I don't want to have things figured out. I want to stay curious and hungry and restless enough to want to learn. I want to read and reflect and write and ask questions and search and pray so that the ideas and the answers and the possibilities keep coming. I want to begin each day with anticipation for what I will discover that day, understanding that whatever it is will not be the whole puzzle, but merely one more piece.

Learning is my motivation to live.

~

Here are a few posts that taught me something this week:

For the guys in their garage.

When death is imminent, life is important.

"I wonder if I'm still a writer or a content creator." And 4 other things that I wish I didn't have in common with every other writer/blogger on the planet.

Remember this post? Here's another beautiful essay about the Fading Art of Letter Writing.

We've sheared the textile of our own lives. And it's time to put down the scissors.

[Thanks Tyler for the great links yesterday!]

[Image via]

Inspired By.

Guilty pleasure confession: I've seen it about a million times now, but I love the first Sex and the City movie. [The second movie was horrible - a floppy storyline that was thrown together as what I hope will be a last ditch effort for another $300,000,000.]

Now go ahead. I know you want to. 

Groan and roll your eyes and say, "Bethany, I thought you had better taste than to watch those heathens!" all you want, but I'm a sucker for a writerly heroine, any story line related to relationships and romance, and the fashion and glitz of a thriving metropolis like New York City. So, I watched the movie again last night, and googled "Love Letters of Great Men, Volume I." Turns out, it was a fake book that Carrie was reading at the beginning of the film, until a Mr. John C. Kirkland realized that women round the world were now dying to get there hands on such a book, and so he compiled it. Genius. 

Amidst my googling I found this site, and couldn't resist sharing this note from the lovely Man in Black, Johnny Cash. 

Transcribed: 

Hey June, 

That's really nice June. You've got a way with words and a way with me as well. 

The fire and excitement may be gone now that we don't go out there and sing them anymore, but the ring of fire still burns around you and I, keeping our love hotter than a pepper sprout. 

Love John

The beauty of a handwritten note cannot be denied. There's just something about it that feels so raw and tangible in a way that digitized communication will never be able to emulate. I know that when I'm feeling stuck and disconnected to my writing self, the best thing I can do is close my laptop and grab a pen and my notebook. 

So my plea to you, instead of my usual Friday post of lovelinks, is short and simple and sappy to the core. 

Write  a letter. To yourself, to your love, to your friend, to your future, to anyone that might need it. Be poetic and passionate enough to scrawl your thoughts, messy and unhindered.

Leave something to be found when you're gone. 

Inspired By.

It's Friday. [And the peasants rejoiced!] I'm feeling a little wilted, unlike the photo above. This week has been out of sorts with an undecided, in-transition, what's-going-on, how-do-we-do-this office move at work, a bee infestation in my apartment bedroom window that forced my husband and I to set up camp in the middle of our living room so as not to find ourselves exterminated, and a car that's on it's last life and my last nerve. To add to it, my mom is still in the hospital [since Tuesday, August 16] and doctors are still trying to figure out the best way to, well... make it possible for her to be healthy outside of it? It's hard and painful to explain. 

Needless to say, I'm tired. I find life exhausting at the moment. Might explain the dream I had Wednesday night and the lack of personal writing and posting around here recently. My head [and my heart] can't decide if now is the best time to write [time? what time?] or if I am understandably excused from adding that to my to-do list [if not now, then when?]. 

My soul is surviving on small increments of rest, grace and joy, wherever I can find them. Tomorrow, a group of my favorite girls and I are going to enjoy a day in Southern Michigan tasting wine at local vineyards, snatching up local produce, and surveying what promises to another beautiful sunset like this one. 

I know that this is another week of the last several where I've complained about "my lot" in life. I'm well aware that I am blessed, that I am healthy, that I am capable, and that many many many other people in the world are not for a variety of reasons. But on the other hand, this space is not an escape for me. It's a place where I can express my thoughts and feelings and opinions and experiences freely like I can't anywhere else. So if you're feeling a little wilted or trampled, or you have been but are now feeling rejuvenated, feel free to share your thoughts. The company is welcome.

Until then, here are a few delightful posts from around the interwebs: 

Mandy wrote an encouraging post for me this week about the importance of traveling and finding a job you're passionate about. That alone is inspiring, but she emailed me today to tell me: she got the job she mentioned in the post writing for a travel magazine! Congrats, Mandy! 

Nothing could ruffle her, and that's why we loved her.

How do you relate? Paintings versus photographs versus blogs versus life. 

I really love this blog. Decadent photos and beautiful words. 

What to do when your work sucks. 

Eight secrets writers won't tell you. 

Image found here. The flowers are gorgeous, but of course, I'm loving the bookshelves behind it, too.

And finally, this girl is going to share her snark, wit and good grammar with us next week. I'm excited! She started a new series this week, Fat Tuesday, that I'm already addicted to. 

What are your plans for the weekend? I hope it's a good one, friends. 

Inspired By.

It's the weekend friends, and I'm pretty darn happy about it since I feel like I haven't really had one in weeks. I'm about to head out for dinner and a movie with one of my besties, and tomorrow I'm going to a 40's in the 40's Party complete with pearls, t-strap heels, fellas in fedoras and 40oz Mickey's for all. Theme : Keep Calm and Carry On, which is exactly what I'm aiming for right now.

Here are some sweet links from around the web this week:

Inspired by Sam's book arrangement plus these other clever shelves, I rearranged my own collection the other night, and I'll be posting photos of it next week in my bookish series!

Another encouraging post for bloggers on common misconceptions and ways to deal with them. Note: the comments are as good as the post itself!

Margaret Atwood's 10 Rules of Writing. My favorite is rule number 8 :

"You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You’ve been backstage. You’ve seen how the rabbits were smuggled into the hat. Therefore ask a reading friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing business. This friend should not be someone with whom you have a ­romantic relationship, unless you want to break up."

After a post from Jess early in July, I joined her email intervention program and it has really helped scale back my stress during my down time. Now, she's doing another one for August, and I highly recommend you join the ranks of those that are keeping the office at the office, and home at home.

I'm a firm believer in the Oxford Comma, which is why I absolutely loved this post.

A really interesting [and true to my life] post about Why Our Generation is Afraid to Commit.

Doubt and Devotion? Creativity and Life? It's All About Balance.

It seems like everyone has their spinoffs of the poster above these days, but this rendition from my friend Kat is my favorite.

And finally, I found this post really interesting, and it has prompted me to ask: how can I serve you better? What would you like to see more of on She Writes and Rights? Guest posts from other writers? More or less of my personal experience? More or less of my poetry? Thoughts on the process of writing poetry? My bookish posts: do you find them interesting or fluffy? Your thoughts are welcome here.

P.S. Looking for a guest posts from fellow writers and creative for the upcoming weeks. I'd love to have you; email me at shewritesandwrites[at]gmail[dot]com.

So keep calm and have a good weekend, friends.

[Image:  Source: google.com via Bethany on Pinterest]

Inspired By.

Hello, dear readers. The weekend is coming to me a day early again, for some bittersweet reasons. I'm making a trip home to Michigan to visit my dear mama, who has been in the hospital since last Saturday. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

That being said, here is my weekly round-up a day early. [I've been trying to consistently post these on Fridays, this and last week not included.]

This lovely lady has been sweet enough to leave a comment or two on my little blog, which led me to find her blog, which put a huge smile on my face from the first click. Whether donating to Oceana on behalf of sharks everywhere, leaving positive notes on random doorsteps, or giving away her clothes, her Days of Deeds Project is super inspiring.

Among the many things I'm trying to become more disciplined about, prayer journaling and making time for spiritual rest are my top priorities. I found this guest post from Mandy Thompson really encouraging.

My blog is an important part of my life and I want to see it grow, so I'm trying to be more intentional with my content, my social media and my interactions with my readers. Oh, you too? Glad I'm not alone. Some interesting, helpful advice for us bloggers from Vandelay Design: 17 Tips to Get More Exposure for Your Blog and 5 Common Blogging Problems and How to Solve Them.

On the other hand... blogging can be bad for your writing soul. It doesn't mean I won't be blogging, but it does mean I won't write just for the sake of posting it on my blog.

An interesting post on how to talk with young girls.

'You Look Great' and Other Lies. I loved this NYT article about what to say to someone who is sick.

And finally, the lovely image above is borrowed from this heralding post for August, my favorite month. Question : what is your favorite month and why? Are you excited for the coming fall or are you sad to see summer go?

So hug a loved one, down an ice-cold drink, soak up some rays.

Most importantly, have a good weekend, friends.