Friday, July 15, 2005

Ideas that Gently Shine

Here's a thought I find encouraging when I seem unable to get anything done. (It's like wading through waist-deep mud, that feeling sometimes.)

"Our idea that we must always be energetic and active is all wrong." Too much mad dashing around, writes Brenda Ueland, "and presently your soul gets frightfully sterile and dry because you are so quick, snappy and efficient about doing one thing after another that you have not time for your own ideas to come in and deveop and gently shine."

I love that gentle shining.

Peggy

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i find idleness unavoidable-tho my partner says i do a lot, it seems to me i just sit around & do nothing-no projects if i can avoid 'em, & slothful progress if i cant. this has proven necessary , for if i force myself up & about i dont feel rested & willing to return to work i love.sometimes i feel a bit uncomfortable that my friends & partner are so energetic & accomplishing, yet i just dont want to do a lot in spare time-a few hobby/interests, mostly reading lotsa different things , being w/ my partner & companion animals, & occassional visits w/ friends. weekdays im very busy w/ people( the part i like), & administrivia, the part i dont. id feel exhausted & unable to function spontaniously & creatively if i didn't spend most nites & weekends idle. and it suits me most a the time-i even enjoy reading some poorly written stuff-i enjoy what's good about it & grumble about what's bad--aint life a mystery?

Anonymous said...

Usually I don't get new ideas without some idling, "slime" time. Then, often, they'll come in a rush, as I'm starting to stir again. At least, I think that's the pattern. Or one of them.

Anonymous said...

I call the idling time "puttering," and do a lot of it before, during, and after the actual typing in of words. :)

It tends to work best when done in my office, though... where the transition from putter to type can happen seamlessly.

billie