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Gratitude breaks the spell of Writers Block |
Staring at a blank page is like staring into a snowfield. The snow, untouched by civilization and unmarked by living creatures, blinds you for a few minutes, it glistens reflecting subtle shades of pure white and rainbows at odd angles. If you stare at the snow too long, you get lost in the interplay of light and shadow. As the day wears on, you become awestruck at the beauty of the snow's perfection. You marvel at the way an oak tree cast its ebony shadow across the pure white snow. You watch the tree's shadow change, grow and shrink, as Earth turns and the sun moves from morning to evening. If you stand out in the snow too long without moving, you risk snow bite or freezing. If you are fortunate, a red fox will walk across your line of sight. The fox will leave his footprints written in the snowfield. As you watch the fox move, the spell holding you in one spot staring at the snow is broken. You are free to go inside out of the cold and out of danger. I must say, writing 500 words a day isn't difficult, unless I'm attempting to write on a single subject. On Monday, October 28, 2013, I began posting my weekly goals at "Weekly Goals" ![]() "O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." Bah'u'll'h The Hidden Words of Bah'u'll'h, Part I.'From the Arabic, #31, page 11 'Heinlein's Rules for Writers Rule One: You Must Write Rule Two: Finish What Your Start Rule Three: You Must Refrain From Rewriting, Except to Editorial Order Rule Four: You Must Put Your Story on the Market Rule Five: You Must Keep it on the Market until it has Sold' Robert A. Heinlein It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have graciously exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God, the True One. Ponder ye in your hearts the grace and the blessings of God and render thanks unto Him at eventide and at dawn. Waste not your time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and others. Thus hath it been decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon the day-star of wisdom and utterance shineth resplendent. Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed After the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Pages 21-29: gr 32 I changed the way I did entries in this book several times. Beginning on March 21, 2018 the entries will cover the topics of spiritual, inspirational, and religions. However, the genres it will be under are Women's, Inspirational, and Spiritual with a tag of Religious. |
Istijlal (Majesty), 9 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Thursday, December 20, 2018 Prayer Suggestion1 When you pray Pray with sincerity Believing your prayer answered. Gratitude List for 9 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() Iatiqlall (Independence), 10 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Friday, December 21, 2018 Friday: A Poem2 Freya's day; the sixth day of creation; Independence; weeks flower closing; Thank God it’s Friday; workweek ends; A wilted bloom in love’s garden; An echo in the corridors of time; Vesper day of the universe; joy; Evening song of the workweek; Looking forward to the weekend. Freedom’s echo; autumn song of the week. Gratitude List for 10 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
‘Idal (Justice), 8 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, December 19, 2018 Forward Movement3 Each day I journey toward a distant crest, Only at sunset do I dare rest, A moment of pray before moving on Step by step I advance toward my goal. Gratitude List for 8 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() My response to the question "What do you want to write in 2019?" in "Action/Adventure Newsletter (December 19, 2018)" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Kamal (Perfection), 6 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Monday, December 17, 2018 Reflection: A Poem About the Bab4 The reflection of God The Bab proclaimed a new day God’s Kingdom on Earth. Gratitude List for 6 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fiḍál (Grace), 7 Masa’ill (Questions) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, December 18, 2018 Tranquility5 I intone prayers God’s Greatest Name echoes Through a tranquil house Gratitude List for 7 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Jamal (Beaury), 5 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Sunday, December 16, 2018 Coffee Meditation6 Coffee hot and black The fragrance of dawn’s light Wakes body and mind. Gratitude List for 5 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Jalal (Glory), 4 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Saturday, December 15, 2018 Proclamation of Faith7 Baha’u’llah, The Glory of God, The one promised In all the sacred scriptures. Gratitude List for 4 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istijlal (Majesty), 2 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Thursday, December 13, 2018 Dissipating Worry8 Weary of worry I intone God’s Most Great Name Dark clouds dissipate. Gratitude List 2 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Iatiqlall (Independence), 3 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Friday, December 14, 2018 Scent of Meditation9 I meditate upon a picture of Abdu’l-Baha, Servant of the Glory And inhale the scent of roses Gratitude List 3 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
‘Idal (Justice), 1 Masa’il (Questions) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, December 12, 2018 Feast of Questions Earth's Pain10 Listen carefully You can hear Earth’s scream echoing Off the tops of mountains. Listen to her agony As mountain tops are removed To feed corporation’s bottom line. Listen as her pain Reverberates Through atmosphere and mantel, As her children Obedient to the gods of greed Behead her mountains And fracture her stone hard bones. Gratitude List for 1 Masa’il Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Kamal (Perfection), 18 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Monday, December 10, 2018 Summer Memories: Echoes11 Fighter jets echo Their contrails reflect the sun, Tourist look up, While locals smile Remembering we live close To an Air Force base. Gratitude List for 18 Qawl Today I am thankful ... ![]() ![]() Fiḍál (Grace), 19 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Depression Versus Happiness12 Depression weary My soul desires happiness The Glory of God Gratitude List for 19 Qawl Today I am thankful ... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Jamal (Beaury), 17 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Sunday, December 9, 2018 His Light: To Baha'u'llah13 His light grows brighter each year Reflected from the souls Of His lovers Gratitude List for 17 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Jalal (Glory), 16 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Saturday, December 8, 2018 Summer Memories: Early Morning14 Hazy blue morning Birds fly from tree to tree Rising temperatures I was going to make separate gratitude lists for each day I was offline. I changed my mind, and decided to put the most important things into one long list today. I may have other things listed in my pen and paper journal, which will remain in the journal until I catch up with the reviews, writing, and transcribing poems into "Devotional Poetry" Gratitude List for 16 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istiqlal (Independence), 15 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Friday, December 7, 2018 Winter Dawn15 White wings reflect dawn A dove flies past my window Black velvet turns blue Gratitude List for 15 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istijlal (Majesty), 14 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Thursday, December 6, 2018 Sometimes16 Sometimes I get tired of being me I just want to be A woman who is free Unencumbered by responsibility. Sometimes I don’t want to be me I want to act irresponsibly And to on a spending spree. Gratitude List For 14 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Three Questions: 1. Is it better to apologize to your significant other with flower, candy, or both? 2. If you had a chance would you want to colonize Mars? 3. Love, joy, faith, and hope, do you have a personal definition for one or more of these emotions? ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Idal (Justice), 13 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, December 5, 2018 Exigencies of Creation17 At the boundary of vision The treeline obscures The receding horizon Gratitude List of 13 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() While I was offline, I kept a gratitude list each day in my pen and paper journal. I will copy those list to one or move of the following entries. Tonight I'm going to just copy poems to "Devotional Poetry" ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istijlál (Majesty), 7 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Thursday, November 29, 2018 Gratitude List for 7 Qawl Today I am thankful for ... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
‘Idál (Justice), 6 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, November 28, 2018. Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá "We testify that when [Christ] came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things ... Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with Light, hat turned toward Him." I found the above quote in a pamphlet I found, while going through a suitcase I brought with me when I moved from the house on Bracken Avenue. The suitcase has been with me for the last two moves, without me going through it. I went through the suitcase today because I needed it to put my clothes in when I move two the new apartment. That quote was on the front of the pamphlel "The Glory of Christ: A Baha'i Testimony", which was published by Stone Haven Press in 1997. I'm not sure when I got the pamphlet, perhaps the year it was published. I'm going to read it again, because I thin it will inspire me to write a poem about His Holiness Christ. Gratitude List for 6 Qawl Today I am Thankful for... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Fiḍál (Grace), 5 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, November 27, 2018 Spring Memories19 It was a new day The wind whispered through oak leaves Birds flew to their nests Gratitude List for 5 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Autumn's voice echoes Dancing like leaves blown in the wind Across the Northern Hemisphere Footnotes |
Jamál (Beauty), 3 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Sunday, November 25, 2018 Gratitude List For 3 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() Kamál (Perfection), 4 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Monday, November 26, 2018 Gratitude List For Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Jalál (Glory), 2 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Saturday, November 24, 2018 Humanity21 Original parents produced a single species; Nature's prism the spectrum separated; Evolution the skin tones of humanity decorated. Rich is humanity's rainbow, Arrayed in the colors of life, Complementing the creation of The Deity; Expressing the purpose of life. Gratitude List for 2 Qawl Today I am thankful ... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istiqlál (Independence), 1 Qawl (Speech) 175 B.E. - Friday, November 23, 2018 Feast of Qawl "In these times thanksgiving for the bounty of the Merciful One consists in the illumination of the heart and the feeling of the soul. This is the reality of thanksgiving. But, although offering thanks through speech or writings is approvable, yet, in comparison with that, it is but unreal, for the foundation is spiritual feelings and merciful sentiments." Abdu'l-Baha22 Thanksgiving's reality is spiritual gratitude and praise to the Almighty. Gratitude List for 1 Qawl Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() No Time23 We wrap time into neat packages, Dividing the day into small slots, Plan precisely every activity, Leaving ourselves no time for thought, No time notice the beauty of nature, No time to feel our fellowman's woes. Footnotes |
Istijlál (Majesty), 19 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Thursday, November 22, 2018 Thanksgiving My mind hungry for reality consumes the Holy Words. My eyelids heavy with meditation fight to stay open. My mind thirsty for the Water of Life drinks long and deep. My eyelids surrendering to the joy of rest close in asleep. Gratitude List for 19 Qudrat Today I am thankful ... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Facebook Status Update Windy Thanksgiving Palm fronds dance beneath blue sky Sun casts dark shadows Footnotes |