Might and Main Monday: Provence Vacation in my Mind
What is a vacation? By my definition, it’s a place where you go to relax and feel happy. In that case, writing is my vacation. It’s where I’m in a “flow” state, where I’m not concerned about every day tasks and feel spiritually at ease. This year I’m taking a Provence vacation as I write this novel. I imagine its countryside,…
Might and Main Monday: Struggling Not to Wilt in Summer
The heat of summer is intensifying. The sun beams a hotter radiation on Earth and challenges all growing things. Plants wilt, dogs pant, people sweat. I sit down at dinner and drink a large glass of ice water, then return to the fridge and refill. As dusk settles, I water my plants with the hose, then go inside to fill…
Might and Main Monday: Why Read? Katherine Paterson
I’ve been thinking about why fictional books matter. Do they? Why read? What would happen if we could no longer read stories? Fiction readers would live like people who choose not to read. A world of the here and now only, a world where one doesn’t join the dreams of others. There are a lot of people in the world…
Might and Main Monday: Tim Gautreaux
I’ve been thinking about this quote from Louisiana writer Tim Gautreaux. It feels appropriate as families across America will be celebrating the 4th of July. He reminds us that the place you grew up is valid material for creative expression, no matter how humble or obscure it is. People own the territory they are born into. That’s the richest ore…
Might and Main Monday: Ann Patchett
Writer Ann Patchett says it all in this quote about the creation of art and the importance of forgiveness. It’s from her article, “The Getaway Car,” reprinted in This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage. Forgiveness. The ability to forgive oneself. Stop here for a few breaths and think about this because it is the key to making art, and…
Might and Main Monday: Joseph Campbell
The idiom “with might and main,” is an old literary phrase that’s gradually dropped out of modern use. It translates to “with as much strength and effort as possible.” I kind of love it. It’s dramatic, it’s antique. I thought it was apt for how I could approach Mondays, similar to “seize the day.” Monday rings in a new week,…
Gretchen Rubin on How to Be a Better Person
Gretchen Rubin’s Better Than Before fits right in with The Cultivated Life principle: how to grow for the better. This warm, down-to-earth book tackles the subject of personal habits and how to master them. Habits are the architecture of our lives, Rubin says, and changing habits involves knowing your personality. This forces us to examine exactly who we are and how we…
