A writer's rising

I was 16 when the writing bug bit me hard. Getting my poems and reflective essays published in local magazines was encouraging. But as much as I found myself attracted to the idea of making this form of self-expression a full-time endeavor, the thought of letting down my parents held me back.

I halfheartedly prepared for management courses, studied computer networking for a year, and even tried my hand at teaching. Anything but writing.

Ok. Time to ‘fess up. I was still writing on the side. Small freelance op-eds for the local daily; a couple of reports for another national magazine; my journal. Just pursuing my “hobby” as I’d tell mom.

Sneakily, I had applied for a writing position with a publishing house in Mumbai. Within three days of my application, the hiring manager called. A 45-minute phone interview ensued. I was shaking with nervousness. If I got this job it would be a resounding validation of my skills. I could convince mom and dad that I was good at this – that someone thought my writing was worth a paycheck.

48 hours of suspense. I checked my e-mail every hour on the painfully slow dial-up connection; made sure the telephone receiver was kept properly. I couldn’t eat, sleep, or drink. And then it came. The offer letter. They wanted me to start in a week.

Surprise. A tinge of disappointment. Anxiousness. Those were the three emotions my parents exhibited when I broke the news. Two days later, these would be replaced by excitement – a mild sense of achievement. Happiness that their only child was taking flight.

I had found my wings.

I learned many new skills on the job, but within nine months I was keenly aware of my shortcomings. I had no real grounding in journalism. “You’re supposed to get married at this age, not go back to school,” said dad when I told him I wanted to get a master’s degree.

In the U.S.

I quit my first job, flew back home, and started preparing for the GRE and TOEFL. “It isn’t the writing bug that’s bitten her,” mom would say. “It’s the love bug.” She was partly right.

An unexpected e-mail from halfway across the world had made its way into my inbox in the wee hours of a winter night. He had read my poem on sexual exploitation of girls and wanted to know what kind of a nut-job I was. What business did I have thinking and writing about such serious topics at my age when my peers were out shopping for bangles or discussing the latest Bollywood heartthrob? He was moved (and curious enough) to write me. I responded. Within a week of exchanging 50-odd e-mails and four-long IM conversations per day, we knew we were meant to be.

He loved my writing style. Encouraged me to speak my heart. Inspired me. Challenged me. Supported me. Was my worst critic. My best friend. Still is.

After a year of drama, intense preparation, and lots of rewrites I got into all the six colleges I’d applied to. I chose to go to the University of Iowa. It was hard – more for my parents than me. I was looking forward to a new life. They were pining for their baby girl.

We made it through.

2004 was a milestone year: I graduated with a master’s degree in journalism, got my first full-time job in the U.S., moved from the mid-west to California to be with my husband (we’d gotten married the year before), and got a driver’s license.

Six years later, I continue to enjoy writing as a profession. I write about students, professors, philosophers. Through their stories, I inspire interest in education.

My parents say I had the brains to become a lawyer, an IAS (Indian Administrative Services) officer, an engineer, a banker, or anything I wanted, but I chose to be a writer. (And truth be told, they’re proud to see my byline now and again.)

It doesn’t pay as much as all the other “choices” I had, but it’s satisfying.

And with my blog, I can take a break from PR communication, and write about things I’m passionate about. My ponderings. My observations. My two-cents on the goings on of this crazy world. It’s where I find my solace.

It’s where I hope you can find some inspiration, too.

Post Deleted

I'm going to delete this post for now and possibly present it in another venue. Thanks for your patience.

I See You

     Yes I was one of the millions. I saw Avatar; twice, in glorious IMAX 3D! It was a stunning, and brilliant movie! Now I will spare mentioning much more on the movie itself here. Recently I have written a review for Movie Planet, and invite you to look there should the movie review be of interest to you. That is not where this bus is going today.

     This morning as I was sleepily trying to find something on TV to gently cradle my attention while I injected coffee into my system, my attention was briefly snagged by the beautiful blue creatures featured in Avatar. Why? I don’t know as it is now borderline overkill even with my applause for the film, and the definite fact that it will adorn my DVD shelf someday. What I think caught my focus was the ethereal and soothing sounds emanating from singer Leona Lewis as she sang, "I See You". It is a nice song, and I went to You Tube to find many available renditions of the video I saw this morning. By the end of this post, you may be so inspired to watch it. For those who have not seen the movie, this will have little relevance, so this is where the bus now leaves.

     In the movie, the planet Pandora is the setting for a group of sentient natives called the Na'Vi who are to say the least, very in-tune with their planet and one another. They have this indescribable connection with all things. Part of the movie is based upon this special connection as the beauty of their people is their deep and profound recognition of how one and all are spiritually and ecologically connected. It is a brilliant symbiotic relationship I envy.

     In recognizing and acknowledging this in one another, they use a salutation, an affirmation mind you---"I see you!" Embrace this!

     This salutation emulates the premise of many of our earthly cultures and the wisdom many of us humans aspire to connect to. It parallels the meaning of Namaste': “The light (God, Source, Spirit, etc.) in me, recognizes the light (God, Source, Spirit, etc.) in you. “ (There is some flexibility to that definition.) Also as in the Mayan greeting of In Lak'Ech ala K'in, meaning: “I am you, you are me.” We again see another parallel from yet another culture.

     What I believe the sages of Earth, the wisdom of the universe, and the Na’Vi are trying to express and admire is the intrinsic interconnectivity in all of us. What separates us--- poisons us, and eventually causes our demise. This mantra addresses the need for insight; an insight that assists us in foiling some of the six components of our personal degradation from the EGO.

I am what I have.

I am what I do.

I am what others think of me.

I am separate from my desires.

I am separate from others.

I am separate from God.

     I think once we see the brilliance and beauty of how truly connected we are, a shift will occur. It has in me. Deep down our makeup, nature, and biological needs are the same. It is when we see others differently, or different from us is when the venom starts to take effect. Often we are unaware of the toxicity coursing through us. We pass it on to our kids and our environment in a contagious effort to ostracize that which we fear or do not understand. We separate.

     I find that true seeing is least done with the eyes. It is the seeing I do in my core being that allows me to connect inward as well as outward. We can see with all of our senses. One of the many definitions of the word “sense” is “an appreciation or understanding.”

     What I find helps me when I feel confronted, misunderstood, different, disconnected, is I try to see things from a collective view. I am part of a greater whole. The circumstances that affect me were perhaps not aimed at me, but maybe my path put me temporarily in the way. If I see that I am a “cell in a collective body”,” a note in a song”, I will see my part with more depth and importance. We must connect for life to be strong. We must harmonize to create the symphony.

     I still work on my “blindness” to some things, but now I look for the light switch. I work on seeking the sometimes less-than-visible connections in one another rather than address how “different” others may appear and how wide that gap is. If it takes scantily clad blue humanoids to help you get the message, please do so. You won’t be disappointed in the visual presentation. We are so very connected and I see that.

    It is nice to see you all! Namaste’! In Lak’ech ala K’in! Thanks for hopping on the bus!

Tony Anders

Note!
This post is also available on my blog Artisan of the Human Spirit.

My day left me with time for only one post, so I had to split this time!

Introduction: Hello from Jacqui at Uplift Antidote

Hello!

Well the first thing I have to say is that I'm in great company here. I've just read the recent introduction posts by Sai, Aine, Pam and Marcime. They do say birds of a feather flock together. I can relate to all the reasons why you like to write (and all the reasons why you haven't before).

Blogging can make you feel very naked sometimes. I remember last year when I first started blogging, I felt very naked and vulnerable putting my words out there. But then I came to the conclusion, that I've been given a 'voice' for a reason and I should therefore use it. As a friend said to me recently: "I'm just putting dishes on the collective table - and it's up to everyone whether they dip in or pass".

Right. Now to the bit that I never like doing. The bit when you join a class or a new group and they ask you to stand up and introduce yourself.

I'm the blogger behind Uplift Antidote. I write posts that aim to be uplifting, inspiring or thought provoking. I try to do a post a day but don't always manage it. It's less of a personal blog and more of a mission! I think it's important to keep upbeat and optimistic and writing my blog helps me do that - and hopefully helps readers too.

I live in London, am a life-long dog, animal and nature lover and a creative, sensitive soul. London is on one hand not ideal for me - because it's crowded and often grey and people's faces tend to be quite miserable. It is a stressed city that's for sure. But on the other hand, I've come to love it too. There are so many creative people here and I've had the opportunities to meet and become friends with people from all over the world and all shades and colours.

One of the things that's important to me is promoting racial harmony (whatever 'race' is). I have known so many wonderful people of all skin colours and I know we all share a common humanity and spirituality and it saddens me to see negative stereotypes and labels still in operation. I hope to challenge that by promoting a positive message through my blog. These are the posts that I'm wanting to write but haven't yet found the right words.

As for me personally, I'm female, have a grown-up beautiful loving daughter who is on the road to being signed as a singer. I love her very much and we are best friends. I have a partner who I also love dearly and whose smile always lifts my heart. I have a Mother who has not spoken to me for well over a year and a Father who lives in Australia and who is also currently not talking to me! My 'true' parents were my Grandparents and they are now in that special place that we all go to at the end of our journey here on Earth. So I've had a few 'bumps' in the family department. But I'm okay! :)

My mission in life? To shine my light, to inspire and help others along their path and to continually strive to live to be my fullest and 'bestest' version of me. Gandhi's saying, "Be the change you want to see in the world" is wisdom I live by.

Yep - I'm the Noob!

     Hello all, and allow me to introduce myself! My name is Tony Anders and Katherine was so very kind enough to ask me to join in the fun here. Like Katherine, I think we bonded as I believe and perceive we share a similar goal in doing our part to "drop our spiritual pebble in the pond", and hope the ripples wash over the masses making the swim a touch more exciting. Enough with the metaphors for now.

     I am a hairstylist by trade and it is that close and intimate connection where I have heard many stories of love, hate, fear, gain, loss, beauty, insecurity and a menagerie of humanness that has really drawn me into seeing that I may be able to use these stories to help my brethren collectively. If presented in digestible, approachable, and compassionate chunks, I think it is achievable.

     My career has taken me around the world as I have been a trainer for my craft, stage presenter, and motivator. I have written for magazines, as well as spent six and a half years as a local TV on-air fashion reporter. After feeling a void after a quarter century of beauty, I decided to shift my focus to how people "feel" more so than how they "look". It's about the gift inside, not necessarily the wrapper! This pond I eluded to earlier now had more depth.

     I have recently finished a book titled "Artisan of the Human Spirit ~ Awakening to life's lessons" to be out soon in 2010. It is an observation of important lessons we can experience in life that do not necessarily require mentors, guru's, sages and prophets to present them to us. I have grown weary of people looking externally and always feeling a healthy spiritual insight is elusive and unobtainable. My eponymous blog and posts you will find here, reflect my quest to not only connect myself to a better place, but others as well as the things that surround me. I don't profess to be anything more than a "finger pointing the way", where you arrive is up to you.

     My musings are spoken from the vantage point of a "regular guy" as I grew up in a small town in Ohio (USA), and I have always tried to remain three quarter redneck at heart. Aside from my humble beginnings, I have truly been blessed with a variety of contacts, and experiences that may be worth reading about; you can decide. Just know, I share, I do not proselytize.

     My writing, I feel is like if I were to present a buffet of many wonderful treats. I am inviting all of you in. I try to respect everyone's palate. I will try to make my buffet abundant, and inviting, and should you choose not to sit at the table, nor wish to eat; please know that you are still welcome and invited and my door is always open to you. Namaste', In Lak'ech ala K'in, Aloha, How do you do, 'Sup everyone, and love to all!

Tony Anders

"In life, not every classroom has a desk, nor every church a steeple!"

of pen and paper

Things die. People die. Recently, I have had the experience of not having technology at my fingertips, here in Prague and it made me blow the dust off of tools I had buried deep within my toolbox. The simple need to communicate has made me rediscover this flat substance, usually made from trees and a writing instrument that bleeds ink. You can control the flow, perfect in its own creation and perfectly reflects the flaws of the user. There is no spell-checker, or recommendation to lift your voice...restricting you to your own voice.
I saw a protest. A sole individual wanting to be heard. Are outcries to be heard obsolete in the cold? We don't paint signs and gather as much as we did or our parents.
Religion...perhaps that is a good thing that we start to see our need to be saved from our selves starts with saving ourselves.
Though graphing is like an artistic protest, I rarely find pieces like this.
What we do see is the evidence of our past. Our transport has changed from footpaths and horses as primary means. I looked at my laptop, in its disuse, unable to connect to the world as frequently as I had been used to.

I looked down at my pen, my paper and I wrote a letter to a dear friend. It was eight pages long. I can't remember the last time I wrote a letter that long. I read over all of the details I normally omit with technology. I described scenes, places, scents, and I felt life in the pages. I made the effort to go to the post office and mailed it out. It was the hard way, the personal way, and one that made me ache to write with more depth.

"My Little Town" has the best lyric about imagination...the colours are there...you just have to see them. We can't let our imaginations die because of lack...it isn't about trying to emulate someone else. No copies...just like the letter...it is an original.

Introducing Sai

Greetings and Namaste! I was recently invited by Katherine to be a part of your group. Thank you Katherine, and thank you all for having me here. My name is Sai, and I'm currently based in New Delhi, India. As a profession, I work as an Instructional Design Consultant with an American company. However, my interests are varied, which is nice in a way, but it also leaves me very confused about which one I should pursue more than the others! For instance, I love reading and chanting Sanskrit verses from the Vedas and Upanishads. I enjoy singing, that's perhaps my best way to connect with my higher Self. And then, of course, there's writing.

Like many in their late twenties, I'm at that point where my 9 to 5 job (which isn't always 9 to 5, it's more like 9 to whenever) tends to take precedence over all my other interests. But I'm trying to change that. I'm trying to give my art more space in my life. Like I used to, before I started a regular job.

I've always loved writing. I used to write essays, speeches, reports, research papers, magazine articles... all kinds of stuff, in high school and college. But the thing is that I always wrote for a topic that was given to me by someone else. It was only a few years ago that I decided I would start writing for the sake of writing, not for anyone else, but for me. I would write to give form to all of the thoughts, emotions, and insights that are constantly dancing around in my being, that sometimes drive me a little insane with their intensity.

My initial hesitation was fed by a fear that questioned, "what will people think of your thoughts? What if you make a complete fool of yourself?" My first few attempts were hard because I was writing what I thought everyone wanted to read. I was filtering out, judging, and editing so much that when I read what I had written, I couldn't see myself in there at all. So I would write, read, and then delete!

Then, I did something which is kinda hard to do. I let go. On one condition, though. I decided I would start a blog, but I would not share my blog with anyone, just keep it to myself. Having consoled my fear with that condition, I began writing as if no one was going to read. And then, the words began to flow. Once I opened the doors, they pretty much stayed open. I knew I had conquered one of my greatest fears, when I emailed the link to my blog for the first time to my closest friends.

It's amazing, how many things we don't do because of fear. Society itself is fear-based. Right from the time we're little, we're taught to fear. Fear the unknown, fear the consequences, fear God (this is the worst kind of fear ever). This is why I love the Sanskrit chant Aham Brahmasmi, which means I am the Universe. I have access to a reservoir of strength, power, and wisdom. The more I affirm this to myself, the more abundance I experience. And fear starts to melt away, slowly.

Thanks again for inviting me here. I look forward to reading, sharing, and learning with you.

Love and Light,

Sai