Thursday, March 17, 2011

Thursday Thoughts...

This is my living faith, an active faith, a faith of verbs: to question, explore, experiment, experience, walk, run, dance, play, eat, love, learn, dare, taste, touch, smell, listen, argue, speak, write, read, draw, provoke, emote, scream, sin, repent, cry, kneel, pray, bow, rise, stand, look, laugh, cajole, create, confront, confound, walk back, walk forward, circle, hide, and seek. To seek: to embrace the questions, be wary of answers.
Terry Tempest Williams


I loved the sense of this the very first time I read it. It seemed so full of energy, enquiry, exploration and joy - so much to do so little time it seemed to say.

As a calligrapher I have often prepared lists of words and one of our daily rituals is to choose a word out of a bowl each morning that we think about or try to encourage in our day.  I now make sure that every set I make has a nice balance of verbs and nouns - the verbs to encourage us to be active and participate in life; the nouns allowing us a bit more time to think about things like 'reflection', mindfulness' and 'generosity'.

The idea that one could have a faith of verbs - of doing things. I like the idea that life is about being active and engaged and involved  - whilst there is the verb to observe; these others are much more about experiencing and doing. I think perhaps I have a tendency to do!

This faith of verbs makes me feel as if the person is truly alive, and living their life.


9 comments:

  1. A faith in verbs. That's a faith I can convert to. Thank you for such a wonderful Thursday Thought.

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  2. Great post. I love the quote you opened it with.

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  3. Fiona this is such a simple but wonderful idea - balancing verbs and nouns as inspiring forces in your life! I think many people suffer for too big or small a focus on one or the other, being or doing -- ideally they would always be in balance. Having your daily words help you to achieve this balance is a great practice!

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  4. Thoughtful, and inspirational, post Fiona. Thanks.

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  5. What a wonderful ritual, I really like your "faith of verbs".

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  6. i am amazed that you make lists of words. of course you do. and with t.t.w. as a list start, well, how can you go wrong. i love her writing, and her honesty.

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  7. Fiona,
    That is a wonderful quote. You always provide such interesting words to consider. I've written it down and pinned it on my noticeboard where I shall come it across it daily.Puts a whole new slant of the act of 'keeping the faith'. Lesley

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  8. Dear everyone I am travelling in Vietnam at the moment so access to Internet is limited and dodgy at times so I shall quickly reply that I think these are wise words that inspire me, remind me to live a full and joyous life and that the balance is to be found somewhere between the doing and the thinking. Go well F

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.