By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia.com
I’ve decided to take this month’s topic in a totally different direction, because peace really means different things to different people.
Let’s look at some of the expressions associated with peace.
Peace Out or “goodbye,” is said to originate from the Beastie
Boys and the world of hip hop.
Then there’s “Peace be with you.” This is most likely taken from the
Hebrew greeting “shalom” and a common Catholic ritual in chirch. Both Shalom and Peace be with you were said to
be used by Jesus after his resurrection.
Then there’s “Peace and Love” originating in the hippie era when the mood of the day was caring, kindness, and freedom. Oh for those days!
But what does peace mean to a writer?
The same applies. It means different things to different
writers.
There are writers who need complete silence to write the
first word. Other writers require soft music and others rock n roll.
Some writers book into a cabin or hotel. Some leave the country. Others employ people
to care for their children while they focus on getting that book done.
Me? I thrive on
chaos, and maybe that’s because I’ve always had a day job, and a demanding one
at that.
I’ve learned to write
at airports and in busy hotel lobbies. I’ve learned to write in trains, planes
and automobiles. I can proudly say I can
tune everything and everyone out. I write when there is loud conversation
around me. I write under stress. I can even
write and converse with you. I’ve had many years of practice to do just that.
Peace to me comes from a safe place within. It’s the tranquility you find when you are truly happy. It’s the ability to find a certain inner calm, and to tune everything out, and focus on producing good work. It’s getting into the zone.
Peace can be achieved through meditation, yoga, and even exercise. Some find it through prayers, chanting and drumming. Others find it while reading and listening to classic music. In any lamguage it means contentment.
However you find it, as John Lennon so aptly put it, just give peace a chance.
Namaste! I am
bowing to you.
About
Marcia King-Gamble
Romance writer,
Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky
and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry
executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling
author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to
Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony
advice boards. Having witnessed the bad,
the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about
happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.
Visit Marcia at
www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS
Be sure to join
her newsletter mailing list.
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6 comments:
Namaste, dear girl!
Thank you, Peggy, May the writing force be with you.
Love this post, Marcia. Growing up I had problems with my back, walking and balance. The podiatrist put me in a pair of orthotic shoes (this was 5th or 6th grade) and I was mortified to be wearing this clunky shoes when everyone else was so stylish. At one point in my adult life I tried wearing those cute, strappy, stylish shoes and guess what? Those old problems I'd had back in grade school reappeared. So literally I can walk farther or maybe even further if I wear "my own" shoes. And finding my own writing process took a few years as I tried on the ones used by "successful" authors. Now I know I can write in a variety of venues but I write better and faster on my desktop and in a relatively quiet house.
And stealing from you, "May the writing force be with you also, Marcia!"
Thanks for sharing Judith. That's quite the story. Amazing how it takes us a while to fit into those comfortable shoes. Eventually we do.
Love the look at Peace through history and cultural context. I remember all of those. I agree finding that tranquility is different for different people.
I find mine in the early morning when I'm the only one awake in the house and hear the birds chirping. I find it in a hike, in my Nia dance/exercise class, and sometimes in a book or music or a painting.
For writing, for me it is definitely a zone--a frame of mind that gives me permission to not let anything in while I write. That choice is difficult for me because lots of things are reaching for my attention every minute of every day. Consequently, I'm most productive when I'm on retreat. I can get 25K words in a week then. I used to be much better at just tuning out things but in the last few years that has become more difficult for me. Maybe I'll relearn it again.
Seems to me you've found peace in the quiet of the morning and the beauty of nature. Your mention of Nia was a sign to me my current work in progress (that I am feeling good about) may go over well with readers. In my story I have a non-profit I called Nia (purpose.) Here's to 25,000 words when not on retreat.
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