Your Words of Wisdom

Words of wisdom are recorded and passed on through generations for a good reason. They are well, wisdom. They are messages from those who have have drawn conclusions about matters that concern us a human beings through experience and observation . Some people have an artists way with words and they are blessed with the ability to string them together in such a way that powerful messages are encapsulated in a quick phrase or one liner. I admire people who have this gift. I have been known to come up a few brilliant quips myself on a lucky day when my brain is sharp or maybe on those occasions my consciousness is just a little more open, providing a clear channel for what one might call my higher self or oversoul. I'm not alone in this. I think every single human being has at one point or another been gifted with one of those moments of brilliance where Truth suddenly takes form in one's mind and the words of wisdom flow effortlessly as if released by the opening of a dam. Not everyone thinks to take note of these rare moments, not everyone carries s notebook and pen just in case they are suddenly struck with the Enlightened Moment. And more frequently people don't always believe that what they have to say is all that important. Which is sad because they may often be mistaken.
The individuals whose words are recorded and preserved for future generations are typically those who, for whatever reason, people are listening to already. Their mastery of language or some other art form is probably what got them their place in the spotlight to begin with. Great philosophers, spiritual leaders, writers and poets and sometimes those who are famous for other reasons are the ones who are most likely to have their words captured and preserved like rare and valuable objects.  Due to the mystique of  fame and the idol worship that accompanies it there are some cherished quotes that aren't really even all that brilliant, or witty or even original and yet they endure because of their association with the source. On the other hand there are indeed some words that so completely encapsulate the human condition and universal experience that they strike a chord deep within. These are the words of wisdom that  resonate so clearly us that we feel a bond with the person who crafted the phrase, even if the words were spoken centuries earlier. These words, phrases, poems, lyrics, whatever form they take are cultural gems that are worth remembering and repeating. But anything worth repeating is also most effective if measured and used sparingly within context and with care. They deserve to be treated with respect and tenderness that one would afford to any other work of art.
Another problem with the easy reach of a clever quote is the temptation to use another's words, even if appropriate to the situation, to create a surrogate interaction. When we look outside ourselves and our own hearts and minds we rob ourselves of the opportunity to create something original. When we don't formulate our own answers we shut off the part of our brain that is essential to critical thought. We sell ourselves short by not drawing on experience and lessons we have learned to share that story that is unique to us as individuals with individual life experience. The loss then is not exclusively our own for we also deny others the gift we have that may enrich their lives as well.
Each one of us has a history, a tapestry of events that is assembled using the pattern of our unique perception. For the most part we are not taught this simple concept, but instead turn to "experts" for advice and inspiration. But we all have stories, we all have had experiences that have pushed us to our limit and have taught us precious lessons. We all have Words of Wisdom within. They have come to us through our struggles, mistakes, joys and triumphs.  I will leave you with this thought; who other than you is the author of your life? And who better than you can tell the tale?



© 2010-2013 Nanakoosa’s Place, authored by Jennifer Hazard

Memoir Musings

I've been putzing around with the process of writing my memoirs for several years now, with varying degrees of dedication and intent. There is no doubt that I have plenty of stories inside me. I have lived a life that, as I have mentioned frequently, is a patchwork of often paradoxical scenes and chapters. I have allowed myself to be open to experiences that offer characters and situations that make for some pretty colorful storytelling. There are times I have struggled against barriers of my own making and other times in which the challenges have been the products of systems over which I had little control. If there is a school of hard knocks, I have at least a few credits under my belt. I have also, at times, been blessed with uncanny good luck, for lack of a better phrase. My Luck may have saved my life in some situations and in others merely landed me in the right time and place to be able to avail myself of opportunities that fulfilled my dreams.
As anyone who has toyed with the idea, or followed through with it, you know there are many considerations to writing a memoir. Initially there is the question of intent, what is the purpose of the memoir? For some a memoir can be a personal process of developing a record to be added to an ongoing family history, a way of leaving a legacy to one's family.
Another personal motivation may arise from the need to make sense of one's experiences and patterns of interaction. Much like journaling telling one's story can be incredibly therapeutic. In my experiences both as  counselor and counseled, I have seen memoir or life writing used with great success as a means to make make peace with one's personal history. By pouring through our lives and putting our experiences to words we create a concrete visual timeline of people, events and emotion that can shed a fresh perspective on our personal view of our place in the world. For many of us upon entering the therapeutic process our lives tend to look like a jigsaw puzzle spread before us. There are recognizable bits and pieces that capture the eye and spark recognition. As we engage in the process of fitting the pieces together patterns begin to develop. What was once a scattered pile of random shapes and colors slowly becomes a panoramic view of who we are as a Whole being within our surrounding environment.
Corners first, then edges, then we move onto matching up recognizable colors and patters. At some point we become frustrated and abandon the project where it sits, some of the pieces become displaced, but when we return, we remember where those pieces fit and as we reconstruct clearer patterns begin to emerge. Eventually we see the events of our live and the characters within it in a way that was previously hidden or inaccessible. The process is a personal healing journey and there may be no reason ever for anyone else to read the finished product.
For many writers, especially those who are of a humanitarian sort, a memoir can be used as a tool or guidebook for others on their own journey to healing and self discovery. I suspect that quite often these kinds of memoirs develop out of one's own personal therapeutic process especially if we are telling the story of a personal struggle with a life changing event.  How often have you heard a survivor of a terrible ordeal state that "perhaps something good can come from my experience?' Distributing and sharing our stories is a way to reach a large audience to offer support encouragement and information, allowing the audience to remain anonymous at times when it may be impossible for them to reach out and ask for help. I've spoken with several individuals whose first step to recovery was found within the pages of a memoir.  By reading another person's account of events and accompanying emotional responses, the reader may discover, sometimes for the first time, that they are not alone, weird or crazy. This validation became the key that would unlock the cell of shame and isolation.
So many wonderful reasons to share a memoir, right? It's no wonder that for a time it had gained popularity as one of the bestselling literary genres. There are, however, complications involved with writing one's memoir especially if it falls into the latter categories of personal struggle and life challenges. A memoir that is written as part of a family history may tend to be more of an autobiographical timeline of ones life events. A memoir, on the other hand is a more personal subjective portrayal of a specific stage or theme in one's life. For us non-conformist, rebellious, renegade souls a  memoir is likely to contain some gritty material. For Survivors "gritty" barely scratches the surface.
Thinking back to the worst of the worst times of my life resurrects a scramble of hazy snapshots, all of them distorted in some way by my own perception both in the present and as it was at the time. On a light note I recently described to a friend my own mental image of myself while drunk. Tall, powerful, slick, witty and invincible; picture a white Pam Greer. Hell, my self image was so distorted, forget the white part!
Now years later in retrospect and with the help of observing young drunk women acting much as I did, I realize my mental picture has been photo shopped. The same happens when I talk to any woman desperately attempting to defend an abusive boyfriend or husband, I wonder for a moment how she can believe the words that are coming out of her mouth, then I remember and I know that she probably doesn't but so desperately wants to.
Some say the memoir is passe, it's falling out of popularity. These are the people who are concerned with what sells, what gets attention. Obviously I have never been concerned with what 'sells', I'm more concerned with what touches the human heart, what makes a person feel less alone and with what gifts we as women can share to strengthen one another. Does this make me hero or a saint of some sort? Ha Ha, wait for the memoir. You be the judge.
Peace,
Jenny Nanakoosa


© 2010-2012 Nanakoosa’s Place, authored by Jennifer Hazard

Ain't Life Full of Surprises; The Power of our Stories

I hope my readers have noticed the various badges and links I've posted on my page. There aren't a lot of them, I like to keep my page simple and uncluttered and I generally only recommend those with who I frequently interact and with who I think are especially relevant to my pages mission. One of the sites I regularly follow is Violence Unsilenced, a blog which allows survivors as safe, supportive space to share stories of abuse, healing and redemption. For many survivors telling our story is can be a pivotal point in our process of growth and healing. I frequently write about the impact of telling our stories in one way or another; writing, artwork, music etc. but frankly, I had forgotten just how much so, until my own story was featured this week.
I had taken a rather cavalier attitude about submitting my story, I'm old school, I'm used to doing this kind of thing, no biggie, just offering my contribution, you know "being there" for others, blah blah blah.
As so often happens when we adopt this Holly Go Lightly attitude, we end up skipping along right into a brick wall.
I had known my story was to be featured this week and was reminded yesterday when I received a message from Maggie, the sites Creator and Mother. Ok la la la here's my story, let's take a look....wait, what, holy shit! Let's look at what people are saying, wait, what, holy shit. What I realized was that having my story taken out of the safe confines of my own computer or even my own blog, my "space', was like seeing the world wearing a new pair of glasses. You know how you wait until you can barely see before renewing your prescription and suddenly the world is a very different place than you've been seeing (or not seeing) for the past several months.
Seeing my words "in public" was like having a CAT scan view, a 3 dimensional, multi layered look into my story.

I was moved by my own words, I was shocked by them; but most importantly I was deeply touched by the words of others who offered their support and feedback.
If a tough old Bird like me can be so touched, can feel so supported, respected and loved... it is a powerful reminder of the significance of telling our stories, our testaments to survival and of the Universal Love we are able to receive if we are courageous enough to reach out.
For all of this I want to express my deepest gratitude to Maggie for her dedication to Violence Unsilenced, to all those survivors, past, present and future, who share their stories, and to the readers who are so generous and nurturing with their support and encouragement.
Thank You and bless you all,
Peace,
Jenny

Visit Violence Unsilenced at
http://violenceunsilenced.com/
© 2010 Nanakoosa’s Place, authored by Jennifer Hazard

It's not just emotional healing that hurts

A while back, in May, I blogged about my next step in Healing; treating my Hepatitis C. So far it's been a bumpy ride, with plenty of ups and downs. How about I start with the good news. My viral load is now undetectable. This is a good sign and it means it's worth it to continue treatment. My doctor seems to think that I can beat this for good if I do maintain the treatment for the rest of the year. For those of you who don't know, undetectable doesn't mean cured, yet. The trick is to remain undetectable after treatment ends. For some people it works, some people stay "clear" for a while then the virus reappears, and for some people it seems to come back immediately after treatment is stopped. There are of course, many variables affecting treatment success, but maybe some of it is just good old luck of the draw. Given the uncertainty of success any shred of good news from the doctor is a beacon of hope, an incentive to carry on even if you feel like crap. Unfortunately one of the more common side effects of the treatment is depression. So for me it's kind of like a day at the beach when I've already got second degree burns. Add to this the loss of income the loss of a social role as a community advocate and sometimes I just wonder what the hell happened. Good thing I've had lots and lots of therapy to cope with depression because my old Buddy, Deena Depression has been hanging out quite a bit lately. And that, my friends, is one reason I'm telling my story, all aspects of it. Some of it is simply Ego validation, I admit that; but there is also the desire to reach out to others who have or are having similar experiences. It can feel like a lonely road sometimes and knowing someone (many people actually) are having the same experience does lighten the load. If you yourself or someone you care about is going through treatment for hepatitis C, or considering treatment I recommend seeking out information from others who have had the experience. An excellent online support group I have found is HepC Nomads-http://hepcnomads.co.uk/ I have found everyone there to be both informative and supportive. Another good resource is The National Hep C Advocacy Council at www.hepcnetwork.org. As always if you have questions or feedback I'm happy to respond. Peace and Blessings © 2010 Nanakoosa’s Place, authored by Jennifer Hazard