Family and living

Last turned down page of Bird by Bird – I need to begin living another book. It is a constant battle for me between the experiences I have with other people and the more pensive time I spend alone. I have to look at this to see what I feel brings me more peace and what the balance might be because I am sure when I look back at my writing, it would be more inspired when I am being solitary.

But then this quote – a definite “issue” for me.

“Sometimes no matter how screwed up things seem, I feel like we’re all at a wedding. But you can’t just come out and say, We’re at a wedding! Have some cake! You need to create a world into which we can enter, a world where we can see this. There was an old desert dog in a comic strip yesterday, sitting with his back against a cactus, writing a letter to his brother that said, “At night the sun goes down, and the stars come out; and then in the morning the sun comes up again. It’s so exciting to live in the desert.” That’s the wedding, right? To participate requires self-discipline and trust and courage, because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, as my friend Dale puts, How alive am I willing to be?

The best thing about being an artist, instead of a madman or someone who writes letters to the editor, is that you get to engage in satisfying work. Even if you never publish a word, you have something important to pour yourself into. Your parents and grandparents will be shouting, “Don’t do it, don’t sit down, don’t sit down!,” and you’ll have to do what you did as a kid – shut them out and get on with finding out about life.”

Family day went as family days go – we all want to be there, but there is always drama but with 6 kids who do not really know each other as adults and aging parents, it is inescapable. One more day of connecting for me – sister #1 is coming out to my town. I am going to slip over to church before she gets here to see if I get a “message” there. This week I will dip into the family pond one more time with the NYC trip. But adding my son to the mix is a good thing for me.

Begin with Bird by Bird and end with today’s cosmic guidance - How alive am I willing to be, but be nice doing it? Yikes. Also, didn’t I hear that Pluto “planet of power” had been demoted as a planet? It is always something!

July 15, 2007 -- You may think you know what is best for a friend or relative but do you really? And, even if you do, unless they want it to there is sure to be bad blood if you try to force it on them this week. Pluto, planet of power, warns that just because you have the might does not mean you have the right to impose your will on others, not even for their own good.

Have a good week.