Abundant voice

Lately, I've been reading about writing more than writing, stumbling onto a book called "Writing to Change the World" by Mary Pipher. I am most fascinated about the pages on voice; particularly her observation that:

"voice is like a snowflake – complicated, beautiful, and individual. It is essence of self, distilled and offered in service to the world."

I find that rather profound and deeply truthful. Also very counter to what the secular, physical world teaches and accepts.

Voice is about being,
                             being yourself,
                             being yourself in the world.

Shortly after savoring that passage, a link popped up from a facebook friend with this nugget:

"I know it’s not easy being an artist. I know the gulf between creation and commerce is so tremendously wide that it’s sometimes impossible not to feel annihilated by it. A lot of artists give up because it’s just too damn hard to go on making art in a culture that by and large does not support its artists. But the people who don’t give up are the people who find a way to believe in abundance rather than scarcity."*

I've almost given up lots lately, looking at where I wasn't getting within the "system" instead of recognizing the power and truth in my voice. A power and truth I am unable to shake, therefore, unable to quell. It will out itself no matter what I do, so I may as well cooperate and free myself. I believe we all must in whatever form that voice manifests. It has done me harm to quiet it and I am beginning to believe again that I do have a message to share with the world, but – better yet – I have myself to share.

And there's the mirror I am for my daughters that tells me if I can't do it for myself, then do it for them. My heart is singing that I do it for myself as an act of love.

Imagine that: loving myself
                           loving my voice
                           loving my voice in the world

• How have I developed and nurtured my own voice?
• How intimately are we acquainted?
• How do I share it?
• Constrain it?
• How am I creating a place for my voice in the world?


pure silliness, I say now


had it been someone else, I could have been objective


chiding myself for closing off my voice, creativity and passion


because one person said it wasn't unique


she LIED


then I lied to myself


NOW, the truth is out

...
* see the entire blog entry at
http://therumpus.net/2011/03/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-69-we-are-all-savages-inside/