Thankfulness

I have a friend and business associate who, on occasion, would look at me and say, "you know, you can make your mouth say anything." This would be in reference to an instance in which someone we had encountered, often times from a podium, had spoken eloquently or loudly or commercially, but not authentically. We knew it, we had been through enough trenches in our quest for economic equality as women in business at that time to almost instantly know fact from fiction, passion from "B.S.", and genuine promise from convenient words of the moment.

I found myself thinking about her declaration this week as this Thanksgiving Holiday was approaching. I thought about 'thankfulness' and all the places I was hearing it, but my spirit of discernment was having trouble with the sincerity of it. Are we really thankful or has thankful just become a buzz word, a feel good word, a slip through the cracks and dodge the truth word? Have we gone to the core of our existence to examine the quantity, quality, and consistency of the individual blessings that we experience moment by moment by moment? Or is the glib declarations of our thankfulness in reference to our acquisitions, our excesses, our greed, and our never ending self-focus?

I am forced to turn internal in search of my true thankfulness this season. I have had a year like no other, with highs and lows beyond my imagination. I've been stripped of illusion as it relates to who I am and what my life contains - a terrifying event because illusion is like cartilage, serving as a cushion between bone and reality - and I have grown in ways I didn't know I still could, or above all, still needed to. As hideously painful as coming to grips with my thankfulness has been I am eternally grateful to be coming into a place of understanding it.

Amazon's New Kindle Ebook Reader

I saw a few references and major newspaper articles regarding the launching of Amazon's new Ebook Reader, Kindle, but I didn't really pay much attention initially. My interest definitely piqued when I received an email that was sharing information about the special format the Amazon Ebooks had to be in, also named Kindle, because I thought I had seen something that suggested my Ebook version of YOU BECKON could fall into that category.

I was quite pleased when I went onto Amazon to its new Kindle site, did a quick search, and sure enough, there it was!

You Beckon - the Kindle Edition! (http://www.amazon.com/You-Beckon/dp/B000R93DSA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195532584&sr=8-4)


Having Amazon exposure is a major plus for the Ebook author. I'm definitely rooting for the success of their new reader - as you might imagine!

"Bought Sense"

A new novel entitled "Bought Sense" is planned for 2008. Here's a brief overview.

It's a novel that centers around pain and betrayal that undermines a family, betrayals which are perpetrated by a family newcomer who, on the exterior, looks like innocence itself, but whose jealous spirit borders on the demoniac.

Solid marriages are ripped asunder by the subtle interferences and revelations dug up and made humiliatingly public by the newcomer, the family's business is suddenly rippled with dissension both from within and without as long time business supporters, customers, and employees are turned into the bitterest of enemies for reasons unknown, and coy advantage, especially financial, is repeatedly taken of other family members and friends through a host of slick schemes and plans launched under the guise of innocence and helplessness.

The family is headed for a certain crash and burn until the newcomer plays one last hand, a hand dealt to another member of the family who has long watched and recognized the demoniac at work, but whose attempted warning to the family matriarch has fallen on insulted deaf ears. But this time it's personal. This time boundaries are crossed that no longer require caution or diplomacy because what is at stake is not negotiable. It's a battle of wills, of good and of evil, and there can only be one victor.

BOUGHT SENSE! Coming to you soon!

Back on Point!

The Gala Opening and Celebration of the Life and Art of Leroy Allen at the Robert Frazier Gallery of Contemporary Art was awesome. A profound thank you to Sonie Ruffin, the gallery director (and yes, she's the world reknown fabric artist and author) for moving mountains and much, much more.

A huge amount of my attention had been focused the last few months on helping make that event a reality, but now that the exhibit is in place (runs through January 2, 2008) it's back to a couple of exciting literary projects. Some doll making (my Wee Be Wee Folk line) and jewelry designing are also on tap since they have found homes in art gallery gift shops! I'll have plenty to keep me busy ahead.

Although bittersweet in many ways, seeing the outpouring of love and appreciation for my brother and his gift that came through the gallery doors hundreds and hundreds of times for the celebration will be a memory I'll cherish forever more. Thank you one and all for the love!

A Hall of Fame Poet

At the end of the day, what I really am as a writer is a poet. I don't always acknowledge that or honor it as I probably should. I aspire to other genres, have had some successes in those endeavors, but the real rewards, the true revelation of what dwells within my writer's soul manifests itself most undeniably through my poetry.

I ran across a link from Wild Poetry Forum in which it listed several poems I'd written while I was very active there that received recognition in their Hall of Fame. Since it has been a few years, I had actually forgotten those achievements.

Wow, I thought, when I took a moment to review what I found. This is no small feat. Some of the most admired and touted comtemporary poets spring from the Wild Poetry Forum and a few of the other wonderful poetry forum and workshops that make up the IBPC (Inter Board Poetry Community)!

I also realized there have been few thrills greater than on those rare occasions when I've awakened to check which poems have been selected from the normally awesome selection of poems submitted on one of the forums such as Wild Poetry Forum or Critical Poets to see that one of mine has been included as an Honorary Mention, Poem of the Week, Hall of Fame Poem, or, as happened a few times, chosen as a particular forums entry into the IBPC Monthly competition.

I haven't been focusing much on my poetry recently, but stumbling upon this link recharged my desire to return as much as possible to that first love. Here's the Wild Poetry Forum link I found with its list of my poems that made its Hall of Fame:

Peggy Eldridge-Love - Wild Poetry Forum Hall of Fame

Here is one of those poems entitled "Habit". I hope you enjoy it.

HABIT

It probably won't get
any higher than 60 today.
The imperfect orange sweater,
knitted her last summer, bears a hint
of moth ball odor,
but it fits snug, it's warm,
it's comforting.

I'll lean back and rock a while
on the porch
in the old wicker chair;
it won't be long now
before we take it in for the winter

and at some point,
lost in thoughts of her,
I know I'll reach
for them like we used to do
as we rocked and traded tales,

and the sublime frustration
of reconciling their absence too
will feel as familiar as my grief.

I'll probably think for a moment
I miss them
until I remember it was them
that took her --
puff by puff by puff.

Copyright 2005 Peggy Eldridge-Love All Rights Reserved