TheWhyAboutThis

This I believe

Penny L Howe — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:03:20 +0000

Almost a year ago I wrote this piece. I’m sharing it again with you today.

I believe that deep inside lies a flame. A light if you will. I call it faith. I don’t mean religion. Religion is how many chose to embrace, celebrate and nurture their faith. But faith comes in all formats and I believe in each one of us exists this glowing essence. Faith is the language of the soul. The glow from within.

The flame glows mightily for some and almost imperceptibly for others. But it’s always there, none the less.

Some spend their lives disbelieving what their soul whispers to them in the night. Some spend their lives questioning that which they cannot understand even though they feel it inside. Some spend their lives on a quest embracing that which they cannot understand but chose to accept. And some radiate the glow from within for all to see.

Faith is the language of our soul and whatever you decide to accept and believe, it will always be there inside, waiting to come forth. I believe faith is the flame that shines within your soul that brightens your hopes, your dreams, your possibilities, your life. This I believe.

~ Penny

The Blacksmith’s Bell – Līgo Haībun Challenge

Penny L Howe — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:14:14 +0000

There are two topics to chose from this week in the Līgo Haībun Challenge, Many thanks to hostess Nightlake for presenting this opportunity for writers to improve their writing skills. For more information click on the link. At the close of each challenge several of the entrees are chosen to receive “special mention”. A pleasant added goal to strive for. To all who enter the challenge, I wish you good writing. The topics are:

Bells

“Strike while the iron is hot” – Chaucer

My offering: The Blacksmith’s Bell

The sound reverberated as his hammer struck metal again, and again, and yet again. His strokes, a rhythm of harmony in motion, striking precise spots in smoothing repetition. This was a critical stage; the shaping and molding of white hot metal. The fires from the forge flamed high, giving off much needed heat.

It was an honor to be chosen. He would not fail. No casting for this bell. It was being crafted from his hands to last forever and would ring with clarity, a pure rich song of vibration never heard before. He would insure this.

The slow uniform succession of strokes tolled as his bell would toll. His purpose, his design, his creation. Sweat pored freely down greatly reddened face and body as the fires flamed his desire to create. A transmuted configuration produced by him and only him. A work of art – the blacksmith’s bell.

pure essence of need

the crafting of creation

man’s driven desire

~*~

Thank you,

Penny

Alastairs Photo Fiction: The Writer’s Box of Inspiration

Penny L Howe — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:31:03 +0000

This weeks prompt for Alastair’s Photo Fiction presents many opportunities for interpretation and variety in the pursuit of crafting creative words. If you enjoy writing, do give Alastair’s writing challenge a try. Just click on the link to participate. With his photo prompt for this week, it seemed a natural thing to write about writers.

We are an interesting group of people aren’t we? The creative desire, no it’s stronger than that, the “need” to express ourselves through the use of the written word. But where does that muse come from anyway?

The box had arrived by mail from the law firm of Charles’ deceased great great grandfather. A hugely successful writer, his grandfather was known to have had an amazing gift with the written word. The accompanying letter said the box was to be passed on to the next true writer in the family.

“Ha,” Charles laughed. “Yeah, right”. He held the box in his hands. It seemed to vibrate. Well he did have quite a vivid imagination. Too bad his imagination wasn’t helping with his story. He laid his manuscript in the box and closed the lid. Perhaps he’d try again in a few days.

Meanwhile in another dimension and time,

“Look, look, more sheets with symbols have arrived in the box today, Gatto,” his assistant cried out.

Gatto peered into the sacred box of knowledge, located in the place of honor within the temple for longer than anyone knew. His job to care for, if not understand its purpose.

He pulled the sheets of paper out of the box and stared at the strange symbols that lay upon them. He knew there must be much meaning here.

He shook his head as to the mysteries of life. Time to deliver this magic to the elders. They would be very excited. It had been a long time since they had communicated with the Gods.

~ * ~

Yes, I did exceed 150 words. But the story line was so much fun to explore, I just couldn’t help myself here. Hoping you still enjoyed a slightly longer flash fiction! And thank you Alastair for providing such an excellent photo to work with this week. Okay so time to put my latest offerings into my own box of inspiration (my pc connecting me to other amazing bloggers)!

Have a great day today!

~ Penny

Pearls of Wisdom ~

Penny L Howe — Sun, 19 May 2013 04:25:35 +0000

There are so many quotes on wisdom, and although the words vary, the themes tend to stay the same. Here then are encapsulated versions of thousands of quotes on wisdom – their core meanings and essence!

Wise people continue to doubt themselves (and that’s part of what makes them wise).

Knowledge is one thing, wisdom quite another.

Wisdom happens more from mistakes and failures than success.

Wisdom is a function of time and experience.

Wise people are humble. There is no such thing as someone

who is both arrogant and wise.

Wisdom and it’s quest breed kindness and compassion.

Wisdom is mutually incompatible to fear. In fact

it’s what enables a person to overcome fear.

Wisdom is positively related to happiness.

~*~

And there you have it! A summation of “quoted words of wisdom” that “the many” have said in their own unique way over these many years, Hope you enjoyed!

~ Penny

Stand your Ground!

Penny L Howe — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:43:09 +0000

This is for YOU! And you know who you are! I shared this video and song with my followers last year. And just so you know. I watch it myself on the days that seem harder than other days and we all have those. I send this out today to remind you that You can do it! You can carry on. You can be strong and brave. You have it within you!

I believe in You after all, with all my heart and you (my blogger friends) know I mean the words I write. It is overwhelming out there, changes coming so fast, hard to cope with, loss, pain, loneliness, too much of too much, and in some cases feeling terribly alone and disconnected.

You are not disconnected here in blog-land! And I know (for a fact) that the bloggers “out there” believe these words too.

We are here for you during your struggles, just as you are here for us. It makes for a HUGE difference. So today, remember you are loved and STAND YOUR GROUND … you’re worth it, you know!

~ Penny

The Conversation

Penny L Howe — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:13:10 +0000

Said the sky to the clouds

“Why do you not rain?”

Said the clouds to the sky

“It’s just not the same.”

Said the sky to the winds

“why do you not blow?”

said the winds to the sky

“I’m not sure where to go.”

Said the sky to the trees

“Where is your shade?”

Said the trees to the sky

“I fear that I fade”.

Said the sun to the Earth

“what has changed, I can’t see?”

Said the Earth to the sun

“I’m no longer free.”

“I’m caught in between

man’s derision and strife,

From those I provide

I struggle for their lives.”

Said the Sun to the Earth

“Please say it’s not so”,

Said the Earth to the sun

“Yes, I’m afraid so”.

“Very few listen

to that which I say,

They must all work together

There’s no other way”.

“But what can we do

To change what will be”,

“There’s naught”, said the Earth

“for the blind who won’t see!”

* * *

Penny L Howe, 2013

Written on behalf of the Planet we all live upon!

In contemplation of Self

Penny L Howe — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:51:49 +0000

… and the importance of life.

Therefore a few posts expressing my ponderings in short verses.

A kitten’s contemplation on the unfinished multi-colored mat of life. Note the dangling strings – to play or not to play with them is the contemplation.

Life – a privilege to nurture

The first to give honor

The second to share,

The third to be humble

and try to be there.

When making the difference,

in that which you do,

you make for a difference

the truth within you.

~ Penny L Howe, 2013

~*~

Thank you for your visit, have an excellent weekend!

~ Penny

If I Be Poor in Spirit

Penny L Howe — Fri, 17 May 2013 04:43:53 +0000

I did publish this somewhere else but decided to share it with everyone here as well!

If I be poor in spirit

may I be rich in deed,

If I be poor in doing

May I still plant a seed.

For all that I am not

may I be something more,

For all that I can be

Is what I’m striving for!

“It’s the doing of a thing, that makes it happen!”

~ Penny L Howe, 2013

~*~

Muse, Muse thy destiny is calling … where for art thou?

Penny L Howe — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:39:47 +0000

Sigh,

Oh what a tangle web we weave when first we practice to … write something that is publishable!

This is me after many hours of slaving over a hot personal computer, for days without end – okay a slight exaggeration, but my PC is telling me to give it a rest, so warm to the touch is he (yes my pc is a he, okay?) My eyes look a little glazed over, don’t you think!

And I, lost amidst the variable vowels and controversial consonants tempting to temper my volume of voluminous words into a most practical piece of literature (see … you can tell I’ve been writing a smidgen too much here!)

So I ponder on the whole “writing experience” Why do we write? Why do we blog, I mean really? Right now as it turns out creatively writing “posts” a few hundred words on different subjects is mind diverting and gives me the needed break from the book I’m working madly to complete (passed the deadlines already, twice!) Why you ask do I not just devote all my writing towards the book? Well simply because …

… my muse won’t let me. Won’t cooperate at all, going hither and thither, even yon … just won’t settle anywhere that I want it to. Actually I’m close to done, the tightening up on key elements is what’s straining my muse. To include or not to include seems to be the question.

And so it goes. Hopefully will finish up directly and off will go the requested submission for (shuddering here, but still anticipatious – yes I know that’s not a real word) review and editing!

Thanks for being there you guys, I really appreciate your support,

~ Penny

Fun and Awesome – A Tricycle!

Penny L Howe — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:52:04 +0000

I love to ride bicycles. I always have and while I must claim no relationship to the Howe Machine Company of Glasgow …

I would very much wish to have owned the amazing looking tricycle in this very old advertisement from Paris.

I instead have settled for this poster applied to several attached boards hanging in the playroom of the house.

Isn’t it awesome?

~
” …I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike,
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like.”

~ Freddie Mercury, Queen

Thanks for stopping by,

~ Penny Howe