Wishcasting Wednesday

What do you wish to let go?


Such a great question! We are always wishing for things. How wonderful to focus on ridding ourselves of something useless. Thank you Jamie.

I could list quite a number of things here that I would benefit from letting go: expectations, self criticism, doubt, worry. But, for me, they all really boil down to one thing - guilt. A horrible, horrible concept that has plagued me since grade school, or perhaps even before. And I am fairly certain that it will be my constant companion until my final day in this body. I am aware that I carry too much guilt, ridiculously so, but I've also resigned myself to the fact that it's just a part of who I am. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to drastically change it. I am just one of those people who wants (needs?) to make everybody happy all the time. And when I don't . . .

For example, when I speak my mind and tell someone how I really feel about something, knowing that I have every right to do so and, in fact, owe it to myself to do so, and what I've said is not well received, I feel guilty. If I call in sick to work - with a migraine or a cold, for instance - I feel guilty. I could go to work with a headache or a cold after all. If I fall behind in replying to e-mails, or neglect to answer the telephone when I really don't feel like talking, I feel guilty.

A couple of months ago, I ran across the following quote by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche from Tricycle Magazine.

Regret, Not Guilt

The difference between guilt and regret is that the guilt never faces the wrongdoing straightforwardly. There's just this strong emotion of "I wish it hadn't happened. I wish I hadn't done it. I wish I had never gotten angry." Or, "I wish I hadn't done that embarrassing thing," and so on. Regret is the opposite of guilt. We acknowledge it, we expose to ourselves that we have done something harmful, and how it came about from our ignorance, but we don't get caught in emotions or story lines.

While I don't completely follow that logic, I do appreciate the delineation between guilt and regret. And I need to remind myself of it more often.

So, I wish to let go of that toxin - guilt.

Hoping all your wishes come true! Here's to letting go.

Please Write

I once wrote about how much I love sending and receiving mail - actual pieces of paper on which someone has written with ink and sealed in an envelope and stamped and dropped in a mailbox. It's about how personal it is, and the connection, however small and taken for granted it may be, that it is to another person.

So when I read "Please Write: Don't Phone" by Robert Watson in "Good Mail Day," I just smiled and thought to myself, "Exactly." I thought I'd share it with you.


Please Write: Don't Phone

While there is mail there is hope.
After we have hung up I can't recall
Your words, and your voice sounds strange
Whether from distance, a bad cold, deceit,
I don't know. When you call I'm asleep
Or bathing or my mouth is full of toast.
I can't think of what to say.
"We have rain?" "We have snow?"
Let us write instead: surely our fingers spread out
With pen on paper touch more of the mind's flesh
Than the sound waves moving from throat to lips
To phone, through wire, to one ear.
I can touch the paper you touch.
I can see you undressed in your calligraphy.
I can read you over and over.
I can read you day after day.
I can wait at the mailbox with my hair combed,
In my best suit.
I hang up. What did you say?
What did you say? Your phone call is gone.
I hold the envelope you addressed in my hand.
I hold the skin that covers you.


Yes, that's it exactly.

Tuesday Tag Challenge

Pink and Brown

While Lucky Louise at Kard Krazy cruises on the Artful Voyage in Mexico with Tim Holtz, Nancy at Sugar Lump Studios is graciously hosting Tuesday Tag Challenge this week. Her theme -- pink and brown. Thank you Nancy!

Double Trouble

My take on the Double Trouble theme today at Wednesday Stamper. I'm having so much fun playing with Tim Holtz products - mostly inkpads and clear stamps so far. (the stamp of the girl is not Tim Holtz; it's old and not labeled.) The colors are so gorgeous. I can't wait to play some more this weekend.

Tuesday Tag Challenge

It's Tuesday Tag Challenge time again at Kard Krazy. This week's theme is shabby chic, which I love. I just think it's sweet.

This week, I got to use some old paper doilies, some leftover stickers from scrapbooking, some leftover ribbon, and more inks.


Happy Tuesday!

Corset Bling

For Gingersnap Creations (love the name - knew I'd love the blog!) GC22, Spicy Supply Challenge using bling.

Used some vintage clipart from The Vintage Moth, some glitter and some metallic embroidery thread for stitching on the corset.

to living brightly,

Theme Thursday Challenge

Wings

You know how one thing leads to another? Well, as a result of finding KardKrazy's Tuesday Tag Challenge the other day, I've also run across Theme Thursday - another invitation to be creative. This week's theme is wings.