Worthy of the Week

Hey all! Here is this Friday’s Worthy of the Week, a weekly breakdown of things worth sharing. If you like what you see, feel free to join in! Just post your link in the comments, and I’ll stop by 🙂 Check out the others here. 

Inspiration

I don’t usually do a video for inspiration, but thought this video was so powerful, and had so much story in it. Something about the little boy in a doctor’s coat, treating battle-torn adults not only tugged my heartstrings, but made my writer’s brain churn. Definitely worth the watch, though be warned it is about the Syria conflict and is rather violent and graphic.

Issues

Though I really have no connection to it, Ferguson really affected me. So much so that I wrote an entire post about it. But I recently found this post which highlights the issue around the Ferguson events, and that this is not just a one-time tragedy, it is a pattern. And clearly, a large part of it is about race, whether we want to admit it or not.

Words of Wisdom

You’ve probably heard this quote before, but I think this is important for writers. This is part of what I love about books and what I try to do through my writing. Everything else will fade, but words and their feelings remain. Despite time, distance, and language, words never cease their ability to connect us.

 

Worthy of the Week

Hey all! Thanks so much for stopping by, here is this Friday’s Worthy of the Week, a weekly breakdown of things worth sharing. If you like what you see, feel free to join in! Just post your link in the comments, and I’ll stop by 🙂 Check out the others here. 

Inspiration

These four are from a series by Russian photographer Katerina Plotnikova. I think each one has so much whimsy and story in it, and had to share.

      

Issues

Despite the positive body image movements, I think it is still something we struggle with as a nation, and all around the world. Thankfully, leaders in our culture (celebrities, popular brands, etc.) have started to join in this push against impossible perfection. Two awesome music videos I found this week, Try by Colbie Caillat, and You & I by John Legend, are fantastic (and emotional) illustrations of that. Definitely worth checking out. 

Words of Wisdom

As writers, we are naturally in tune with our imagination. But I think these words go further than creativity or imagination–don’t forget to be curious, to be amazed by the world around you, or even the craft you love. Don’t get so caught up in writing as a business that you forget why you loved it in the first place.

Worthy of the Week

Last week was the very first Worthy of the Week (check it out here) and I am going to try it again. I am going to keep doing it, until it becomes a thing (it will become a thing, dang it) Feel free to join in, and if you leave a link in the comments, I’ll be sure to stop by! 🙂

Inspiration

As I said in this week’s What’s Up Wednesday, boyfriend and I are looking into mission trips, especially to Nepal or India. I have my heart set on India. I think it is such a beautiful, vibrant place with a rich history, culture, and people. And, elephants! Here are three India-inspired art pieces that caught my eye this week.

Issues

If you haven’t heard of the #YesAllWomen hashtag by now, I don’t even know what to say to you. You need to go look at it right now, especially if you are a man, and spend some time reading through the posts. Though it has received some criticism, I think it is powerful, and beautiful. It has allowed women all over the world to unite, to find the courage to speak up, and to share their stories. It has started a conversation that is long overdue, and I hope all the attention it has gotten will mean some real changes ahead. The recent response tag, #AllMenCan, is also worth checking out. The genders need to work together if change is going to happen.

Words of Wisdom

Maya Angelou was a woman larger than life. She was an inspiration, a role model, and a world changer. The world would be a better place if we could all try to be a little more like her. Out of all her beautiful, wise words, these are some of my favorites:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

RIP Maya Angelou 1928 – 2014

Worthy of the Week

Hey all, so I have been playing around with this idea for some time, but haven’t figured out quite how to execute it. So, this may fail miserably, but I thought I’d try it out 🙂 I didn’t want this blog to be just about writing, but also life and inspiration, and I wanted to be able to share some of the things that matter.

I decided I’d try sharing a quick breakdown of some things I found during the week, in three categories: Inspiration, Issues, and Words of Wisdom. With so much plain crap on the internet these days, I’d like to take a moment to share some things that are worthy of sharing. And if you like this idea, feel free to join in! Just post your link in the comments, and I’ll stop by 🙂 So here it is, the very first Worthy of the Week!

Inspiration: I am constantly inspired by art, whether for writing or art of my own. I could easily post a hundred different photos for this, but here are three beautifully haunting pieces that stood out to me this week.

Issues: You will find that I am mostly passionate about women’s issues (which arguably, are not issues for any gender, but humans as a whole). I will try to switch things up, but I wanted to start with something that really matters to me.

There is undeniable a gender gap in our own country (the US) but it is shocking to realize just how horribly women and girls are treated around the world. They are garbage–less than garbage, less than animals, less than dirt. I had always been aware of this, but it was on the edges of my awareness, distant and far away and it didn’t really affect me. Then I watched the documentary Half the Sky, based on the book of the same name, which highlights major women’s issues around the world, intelligently using celebrities to raise attention. If you haven’t seen it, it is free on Netflix, and you should go watch it. Right now. Seriously, it will change your life, whether you are a woman or not.

              

Words of Wisdom: These words really struck me, as I have been trying to live more intentionally, and make the most of my good health. I find myself using my health as an excuse pretty often, instead of challenging and putting myself to go out there and do more. In addition to the Summer Bucket List I mentioned last week (which we’ve already crossed off four things, and had a blast!) I am planning trips this summer (camping in Hill Country, then Huntington Beach to visit cousins) as well as possible mission trips for next year (my heart is set on India).

So I leave you with these two nuggets, from none other than Rumi.

“Run from what’s comfortable. Forget Safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious.”

“Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.”