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Right here, right now.

I heard a woman say once, “Be where your hands are.”

Doing dishes :(She was talking about doing dishes, and I thought, well that’s common sense. You can’t possibly be standing at the kitchen sink, elbows-deep in sudsy water, and be anywhere else.

Or, maybe you can.

Maybe you can be there at the counter, scrubbing away shards of dinner but thinking hard on yesterday’s mistakes or pleading for a better tomorrow — which means more time and more money and “not one more bill,” because September is a hard month and that first Fall paycheck that’s due soon is already spent. And then some. And, while your worries and frustrations sure get the plates clean, they also kick up the water which soaks into your shirt, and Oh. There you are, back at the sink.

Be where your hands are.

It doesn’t take much to set me spinning. News of crashing stocks (again) and predictions of economies on the brink, are enough. In a flash, I am hours ahead, or days past, or years into apocalypse kind of crazy. To put it in perspective: at one point this week, I seriously considered pulling my retirement funds and stuffing it all in my mattress. Kick it old school, I thought. Screw the Market.

It took my dad’s reassuring voice – “everything comes back around, just celebrate when the stocks go up again” (because they will) – and a phone call to a good friend to remind me that there’s plenty in this world I can’t control.

I’m not alone.

And, I do have today.

…

Be where your hands are.

So, I focus on things that keep me grounded, in the moment:

  • Laughter, from my kids or with a close friend or at myself (I can be fairly ridiculous at times), because a good belly laugh strikes the air and cuts through my fear and brings me back to Here and Now.
  • Reading books out loud to my son or daughter, because I can’t read aloud and let my thoughts wander at the same time. Plus, that time – snuggled up, sharing a story – I don’t want to waste it.
  • Checking in with friends who know me well enough to say, Yeah. You could stuff your mattress, but really, what would that accomplish? A poor night’s sleep. Trust the Universe.

Be where your hands are.

…Where are you today?

* Picture courtesy of tjshirey via Flickr.com

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On Perceptions, Guest Post by Heather Cashman

“We all perceive others through the veil of our own experience.”
~Heather Cashman

Perception, the first book in Heather Cashman’s series, The Tiger’s Eye Trilogy, gives readers a unique view into a time and place where the main characters see the world through two sets of eyes: their own and their tiger companions’.

I glimpse a flash of dual understanding about my world through my kids on occasion. Like when my daughter draws me a picture that shows her and her brother wearing giant and ornate crowns and the “mommy” and the “daddy” standing in the background, a smear of ink. It’s clear who she thinks is in charge.

But seriously, imagine. Seeing the world – your world – from two different perspectives. As writers of fiction, we do it all the time, but in real life, we struggle to know just what another person is thinking.

Today, Heather Cashman joins us to talk about perceptions, and how often, the way we view ourselves is much darker than the way others view us.

*****

Stained Glass Perceptions

Heather Cashman

Perception is a fascinating concept. The simple idea that two people can view the exact same object and see two different things astounds me. One of my favorite aspects of the novel, Perception, is the study of ways in which people see themselves, see others, and see the world.

The word* “perception” is derived from the late 15th century and was used in reference to collecting or taking possession of rent, crops, profits, etc. The word took on different meanings over the next several centuries to be a more general “taking in.” Today, Merriam-Webster defines perception as “immediate or intuitive recognition or appreciation, as of moral, psychological, or aesthetic qualities; insight; intuition; discernment.”

In order to discern or recognize, one must first have experience. The human experience is as unique as each individual human, influenced by culture, environment, nurturing, abilities, and choices. Therefore, each person’s perception will always be unique.

Continue reading “On Perceptions, Guest Post by Heather Cashman”

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You’re here!

Welcome

If you’ve come over by way of Writing Under Pressure, Thanks! Know that I’d brew you a strong cup of coffee and serve you a cupcake if technology would allow it. Really, though, make yourself comfy, take a peek around (subscribe, if you’re so inclined), let me know what you think of the new layout.

There’s red. I’m more of a green kind of girl, but I figured starting fresh meant being bold.

And, if you just happened upon this site by some other route, Thanks to you as well. I’m not stingy with coffee, and cupcakes taste best when shared.

cupcakes

Yum.

* Photos courtesy of Average Jane and Clare & Dave on Flickr.com