Blog 24 - Course Evaluation/Reflection

I learned how to reflect while telling a story. I learned segmented writing, showing rather than telling, the impact of the present-tense, focusing on an object, place, etc. and then moving to a story and a reflection. I learned how to consider the welfare of others mentioned in my writings. I learned not to initially be concerned with organization - I can just write various small stories and link them later. I learned that I can handle writing about "difficult" life experiences.

I like writing blogs. This is my first blog and I appeciate my exposure to it. The assigned readings are helpful in understanding various cnf forms and revising methods. The blogs are simple enough. Each essay "stretched" me to write in ways I did not think I could.

Feedback from both professor and peers are helpful. I enjoy reading what my peers think about my writings and learning whether I communicated what I had intended. I appreciate the professor's patience and feedback regarding my handling of difficult topics.

I am glad I took the course.

Blog 23 - Revised Essay - Essay 4, Draft 2

Where’s the Mustard?

I sit at the kitchen table with my parents and siblings. There is tension, of course, my father being the way he is. Then, all of a sudden he demands, “Where’s the mustard?” Everyone has to look. Then one by one we all start smiling and then giggling, except for my father, who gets even angrier and makes another demand. Eventually, someone points out that it is right in front of him. In fact, it could not have been any closer. The more he looks, the less he sees. This reminds me of my search for God, who also could not be any closer.

* * *

I am in my early 30’s and feeling quite empty. I visit a friend. I interrogate her the way I usually do about finding God. She has the spirituality I wish I had. She patiently answers my questions. I do not even remember the questions, but I remember her last answer, “No one searches this much for God who has not been called.” I leave feeling confident that I never need to search for God again. He has been with me all along. I also leave feeling her love, which in itself helps me feel the spiritual connection I seek.

* * *

I am in seventh grade and doing my homework. The door bell rings, and my mother calls for someone to answer it. Two of my brothers come running from different directions. They let in an A&P delivery boy with a box on his shoulder with a turkey and every fixing you could imagine. My mother looked longingly at the food and explained that she did not order it and could not pay for it. By this time, all the kids had gathered around. We were not expecting to have turkey on Thanksgiving, or even a meal. In fact, we had not had supper that evening. The delivery boy put the box down on the kitchen table and explained it was paid for by charity. My mother apologized for not having a tip. Actually, she did not have money for anything.

Just earlier in that evening, my two youngest brothers, ages four and five, came to where I was doing my homework. They asked me if I wanted hotdogs or hamburgers. I looked at them confused. Then I realized they would make me a make-believe meal. I said one of each. They proceeded to take imaginary pots and pans and made me an imaginary supper. They had had something light for supper themselves (we ate from the youngest up until the food ran out). I realized that they knew there was nothing left for me and that they cared. I told them their meal was delicious and thanked them very much. They left me smiling. I felt spiritually connected.

Two days later, we had the donated thanksgiving dinner. I remember how quiet it was when we were eating. We all seemed to be in shock. I remember how spiritually connected I felt knowing that people cared.

* * *

I am in my mid-40’s and am volunteering at the soup kitchen. My job this time is the salad. I wash the lettuce, then slice the tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and onions. I am smiling. I love working in such a caring atmosphere with the other volunteers. Before serving, we hold hands and pray, “Lord, thank you for this food and for this opportunity to serve You by serving others.” We leave the work area and begin serving the guests. They number over 100. They wait patiently in line for their turn. We serve them. They thank us. I watch them eat. We serve them again until they have had enough. We clean up. I feel spiritually connected.

* * *

Today, I am listening to spiritual music. My favorite is Celtic Woman: A New Journey. These women do not just sing with their voices, they sing with their souls. They sing about giving and receiving love. Listening to them is a spiritual experience.

I am especially partial to soloist Chloe Agnew, who sings “Panis Angelicus” so beautifully it sounds heavenly. Even if I did not know the translation, I would know she is singing to God. People marvel at her voice, but I marvel at her spirituality and the spiritual intimacy that exudes from her voice.

This hymn contemplates becoming one with Jesus when we receive Holy Communion. It says that at this time, Jesus becomes our spiritual nourishment. It says that Jesus gives us the Gift of the Holy Eucharist so that He may always be with us. This hymn then prays to Jesus for our salvation so that we may dwell with Him in the afterlife. It is very intimate. The words were written in Latin by St. Thomas Aquinas and have been hymned to several different melodies.

The words and their meaning certainly contribute to my increased spiritual awareness, but there is also an additional dimension present when Chloe sings.

I realize I feel the most spiritually connected whenever I give and receive love. This spiritual music is about love. I am grateful that there is no need for me to search anymore. I found the mustard.

Blog 22: Handout regarding publication venue

PUBLISHING RULES FOR BREVITY

BREVITY publishes essays of 750 words or less of nonfiction only - memoir, journalism, or lyric.

BREVITY says that memoir and narrative are best told with scenes and detail, not explanation. It also says that personal essays should have image and sensory language.

BREVITY will publish first time authors, including students.

BREVITY will accept no more than two submissions per author per calendar year.

BREVITY has filled the upcoming issue and is now reading for summer and fall 2010.

BREVITY occasionally pays a small honorarium, but most of the time cannot.

Upon acceptance, BREVITY asks for one-time rights; with all subsequent rights reverting immediately to the author.

“Bernard Cooper suggests that short nonfiction ‘requires an alertness to detail, a quickening of the senses, a focusing of the literary lens, so to speak, until one has magnified some small aspect of what it means to be human.’”

How to submit:
BREVITY asks that you cut-and-paste your brief essay into the body of an e-mail, single spaced with a brief bio note before the essay and indicate your approximate word count.
Send the essay to: brevity@gmail.co

Blog 21 - Rewriting per Thiel

Rewriting Prompt: “Take a piece of writing…. Apply Kumin’s concept of “geography, chronology, or furniture.” Give the piece a title that places us somewhere. Now find the “furniture”; look for an extraordinary line or image already present in the writing that might work as the title. If you do use it as the title, you might consider removing it from the text.” (85).

I have no title yet for Essay 4. As for geography and chronology, I begin at my present day home, watching a Celtic Woman concert DVD and listening to a song regarding the spiritual connection acquired when receiving the Eucharist. The next scene and time is my home with my family when I was in seventh grade when we received a Thanksgiving meal from charity. The next scene is my friend’s home when I was in my mid-30’s and she advises me that I already have the spiritual connection I seek, and ends back at my present day home again watching the Celtic Woman concert DVD. In summation, geography is home, either mine or my friend’s, time is now, when I was in grade school, then in my mid-30’s and then back to now. The “furniture” is the experience of a spiritual connection. My title can be “My Journey for a Spiritual Connection” or “A Spiritual Life,” or “Spiritual Connection while Living a Physical Life.”