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Thursday, 12 June 2008
Thursday Morning Ponderings . . .or what makes a writer a writer
"All the wonders you seek are within yourself."
~Sir Thomas Brown (1605-82)
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genious will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."
~Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933)
I have a friend who is a very gifted writer. Like me, her mind is always rolling around one story or another inside. Words just can't help trickling out from her fingertips onto the page or screen. Like me, she sometimes gets discouraged by rejection, and begins to question her talents and her prospect of success. Sometimes it gets her down, (like me) and she thinks that nobody will ever want to buy her stories. I happen to know she is brilliant and I think that one day someone will want to publish her stories and that we will all be saying we knew her when . . . I have great faith in her talents.
Success doesn't have as much to do with talent really, as it has to do with persistence. If we give up . . . then we fail. Determination, persistence and luck are probably singularly the most powerful aspects in creating success for ourselves. There are lots of talented people in the world that never become more than what they are . . . because they are afraid of failure and therefore never start the journey . . . because they were not in the right place at the right time . . . because the right person never happened to stumble onto their work . . . because they give up and stop trying . . .
I was thinking about this as I puttered about the kitchen at work the other day. What is it that makes a writer . . . a writer, or an artist . . . an artist???
Getting published doesn't make you a writer. There are lots of books out there supposedly written by famous people. Truth is they never wrote a word. A ghost writer writes them for them . . . the famous person only provided the concept.
Writing words that people want to read doesn't make you a writer. A grocery list contains words that you, yourself want to read . . . and I guarantee that if you left it laying about, someone else would read it as well, if only out of curiosity. But that doesn't make you a writer.
What makes a writer a writer, is writing words because you simply can't NOT write them . . . because the mere act of putting them down brings you more joy than the thought that someone may want to read them does (although, in truth that is pretty compelling as well) . . . because it inspires you and feeds your soul . . . because it is what you are compelled to do and what you must do . . .
each day
each step
each moment of your life.
That's what makes you a writer . . .
It's the same with painting or drawing. You do it because you must. Your brain is full of thousands of images and thoughts that need to get out and you are the means by which they do . . . you are the artist . . .
Like I said to my friend, I could spend my whole lifetime taking classes and trying to paint like Rembrandt . . . but in the end, all I would ever end up being is a pale imitation of Rembrandt. I must be the best Me that I can be and then accept that being Me is good enough . . . believe that being Me is good enough . . . have faith in Myself . . . for if you don't have faith in yourself, how ever can you expect that anyone else will want to have faith in you or your talents either.
And maybe nobody will ever want to read her words or my words, or look at my paintings or want them to hang on the walls in their house. And maybe nobody will ever want to pay to read our writings or look at our pictures . . . but that doesn't mean we aren't writers or artists or someone special . . . you only fail when you stop trying . . .
"Believe that you have it . . . and you have it."
~an old Latin Proverb
After a few sunny days we are back to rain this morning. I can hear it tapping against the skylight at the top of our stairs, and yet the birds still sing. There is something in that thought . . .
I had in mind the other day that I wanted to make a kind of greek sandwich for our dinner. Something using pita breads, salad, marinated lamb, and feta cheese, all topped off with Tsatsiki Sauce. This is what I came up with and it was quite delicious. I am not sure what you would call it, but this is what I did.
I grilled a piece of butterflied leg of lamb that I had marinated in the marinade given below until it was done according to our preference. We like it medium. Then I sliced it thinly across the grain. I warmed some pita breads and then put them onto plates, where I topped them with some salad leaves and sliced ripe tomatoes. I lay the pieces of grilled lamb across the top and then drizzled it all with some of the Tsatsiki sauce. ( given below ) It was delicious! (and I even forgot to add the Feta Cheese!)
*Meat Marinade*
Great for chicken, beef, pork or lamb. Just throw it all into a plastic bag, add your meat and chill until ready to grill.
4 lemons quartered
the juice of 2 lemons
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
cracked black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves, broken up
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Put all the ingredients in a zip lock bag. Add the meat of your choice. Refrigerate for 24 hours, turning occasionally to coat the meat evenly. Reserve the marinade to grill on the meat while grilling.
*Tsatsiki Sauce*
Makes 1 cup
A lovely sauce made with cucumber and yoghurt that is delicious on grilled meats.
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup plain yogurt (I use Greek)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 TBS finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Toss the cucumber with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a colander and leave to drain for about fifteen minutes.
Mince and mash garlic to a paste on your cutting board with the back of a knife and with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Put it into a bowl and then whisk it together with olive oil, yogurt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Squeeze out any excess water from cucumbers with your hands, then stir cucumbers into yogurt mixture. Stir in the chopped mint. Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until needed.
So many people spend their whole life trying to be someone they are not. It is so true that we should focus on being the best "me" we can be, not some unachievable person that will ultimately lead to disappointment. I know that it is only now in my late 30's that I am starting to accept myself and relax a little. Thanks for your writing Marie. I know I look forward to it each day.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness Marie, how early do you get to the computer? It is 10:40p.m. Wed. eve. here in CA. I believe that it is 5:40 a.m. for you.
ReplyDeleteI guess when you are a writer, artist, philosopher, chef and photographer you have to get up early to start your busy day.
After 22 years of getting up 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. to go to work, and years before that taking kids to seminary, I'm loving being lazy and sleeping in until 7:30 or 8:00.... and you know what??? I don't even feel guilty...maybe I should.
Wish your writer friend well from me. You are so right about the importance of believing in yourself. I saw case and case where students quit trying just because they didn't think they could.... on the other hand, I saw case after case where students succeeded against all odds,(like Esmeralda in my last post)because they believed in themselves.
I think that we learn that lesson from our callings at church. I think that most of us feel inadequate when we get a new job to do....I know I've certainly felt that way many times especially when I was called to be Relief Society Pres. in my 30s or when I was called to teach Gospel Doctrine.... but we find that if we believe in ourself, pray hard and work harder, we can be successful. I wonder why we are less sure of ourselves when it comes to developing our talents in other areas. I think that we all need to take your advice.
Have a good day and take care.
Oh, Marie...This was a wonderful, thought-provoking post. Not long ago I was pondering what makes an artist of profound quality compared to mediocre. Is there such thing as mediocre. What's the difference between art and craft, are the two joined? Reading this post, I have more questions--LOL! But the other week I thinking that perhaps what I create is so-so, not as "great" as that of others. But no...I've decided that what I do is what I do, and I do it to the best of my ability and personal taste. And if I don't believe in me, who will?? The creation of art is a complex one of physical and emotional layers, which brings for the truth of our spirits. Have a wonderful, art-filled day, my sweet friend ((HUGS))
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing this Marie -- you are both talented & persistent, a true writer.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I needed to read this morning. . .the motivation I need to follow through with my desires.
Marie,
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing. You inspire me every day and your faith carries me through. Thanks for giving me another bit of hope. As you said, "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence." Just wait until the world sees our LFB creation!
I love you. Thanks for being such a great friend.
Marie, the lamb marinade sounds wonderful...looks a blush pink.
ReplyDeleteAs for Tzatziki...it's best to strain the yogurt overnight and then toss in the ingredients...which do not include feta...you did it right!
Thank you for this post.
ReplyDeleteYou may not know it, but you warm my heart with encouragement often.
Yes, yes..all of it true..but what's that in the background? haha Those chips have all my attention. I bet they are perfectly cooked :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the picture of the "Queen Anne's Lace" flower. It is one of my favorites and I have been known to stop and dig up some that are growing along the road to take home and plant in my garden. In the US they are considered a weed, but I remind my family and friends that they are a cultured flower in England. They all just smile and me, but I'm the winner because I have them in my garden! I hope your feet are doing better today. My husband has suffered with plantar fasciitis for years and it can be painful. A few years ago he was given stretch exercises to do each morning upon arisal and he has been relatively pain free since, as long as he is faithful in doing them. Have you been given any to do? He has passed them on to others and they, too, have gained relief. I do wish for you relief from such agonizing pain, especially when you must be on your feet all day.
ReplyDeleteMmmm...gyros are one of my favorite things to eat! Luckily we have a great little Greek cafe behind us! Mmmm!
ReplyDeleteMarie,
ReplyDeletethanks so so much for visiting my blog. And the words you left me , made me very very happy and a bit of motivation to keep on working.
Your blog it´s an inspiration for me
Thanks again and lots of love from Spain...
It takes some people a lifetime to discover who they are and what they are all about. Others discover it at a young age, lucky them. It took me until I was about 30 to really discover me. And I am the best me I can be! Lovely post! Lovely sandwich, I love Lamb, especially Greek-style.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these lovely words, It gives me hope. and thinking that one day it all comes out oke.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jolanda
It's sad to see so many people trying to be someone else when the person they are is more than enough. This is a lesson we work really hard to instill in Griffin! He is the most perfect him he could be! :)
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