Washing Your Life of the Bad by Traci Kenworth

Friends spending time together studying at library

Washing Your Life of the Bad

Traci Kenworth

Don’t we all wish we could do so? Wash the bad from our lives? Get rid of all the old regrets, all the baggage we carry in our days? There is a way. It comes with acceptance. It comes with forgiveness. For ourselves. For others. We’re human and we all make mistakes. Of course, though forgiveness helps with some more serious topics such as abuse of any kind, murder, or so on, I don’t recommend returning to a relationship with that person/s at any time.

Usually, by the time something like that’s happened, it’s too late. And dangerous still. I’m just suggesting getting rid of the horribleness associated with those crimes. It takes time. God knows, I’ve had my share of nightmares about such things. Slowly, over time, you do start to heal. The wound doesn’t always close all the way, but it helps to get to a point where you can wash that bad from your life and learn to live again, free of the past or at least, at terms with the past.

In my life, I’ve always considered a personal relationship with Jesus rather than religion in itself. That might sound odd. It might not be your spice. What I mean by personal relationship is one of looking at him as more of a friend/guide through life rather than someone who condemns. He’s their to instruct you in what happens from here, how to let go, how to improve your life. A lot of people don’t get that idea, I know.

To each, their own. I’m not going to argue one way or another. Simply explain how I deal with things. Without Jesus, my life would be dimmer and less healing. He lifts my spirit in days when I feel I couldn’t take another step and helps me to carry on. If Buddha or the teachings of Gandhi do that for you, that’s fine. We all rely on what we can in these times.

Anyway, it’s hard at first, letting go. You wanta scream. Shout. Punish those who wronged you. But the truth is, very often we don’t get that release from the person or persons at hand. Instead, we have to make a conscious effort to let go ourselves. Releasing that negative/that black spot so to speak takes effort. Some days you’ll do fine and then the pain will hit you again. You’ll go through the emotions time and again.

There’s nothing to stop the repeat. Or lessen the strength at first. But eventually, it does get smaller. One day, you’ll notice that it’s hardly a scratch anymore. Be careful though. Because scratches can open again. It doesn’t take much effort for that. Forgiving is a continuous thing. It’s work. To be honest, sometimes, it feels like too much but if you can reach that drop off, you’ll be so much better.

I won’t lie: the pain almost did eat me alive at times. Clawing my way back from nightmares do that. But I’m stronger. The kids are stronger. Every day, they thank me for getting them out of that situation, that space where time seemed to forget that we mattered. That we had a future to carve out. A past to extinguish. You don’t come back from something like that unchanged. Our lives are so different and fulfilling now.

Yes, washing the bad out of life is difficult but so much worth it. It’d be nice to skip the darkness, the period of “mourning” so to speak and just get to the healing. But unfortunately, life doesn’t work like that. Instead, we pluck at the bleakness day after day until it is simply gone. We become new people, just learning about ourselves and our new roles in life. Everything does have a season. Let this be yours. Good luck to you and God bless! Have a great week.

Happenings:

I’m a bit late with this blog this month due to testing positive for covid. My head’s been splitting with headaches and the aches and pains of the fluish symptoms are horrendous. I even have had shortness of breath and a burning in my chest feeling that my inhaler and Symbicort have held at bay. I tested on Fri. and called my dr.’s office but they didn’t get back to me until Mon. which made it a day too late for the meds so I just have to go through it alternating Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Thankfully, I had the three shots due to the risks. Hope you’re all staying healthy out there.

Here are some links around the internet you might like:

1. Writers Helping Writers: https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/10/writers-fight-club-story-contest-winners/ Thank you for celebrating the release of the SILVER Edition of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles. Angela and Becca create amazing books—and find fun, generous ways to celebrate. The Writer’s Fight Club Story Contest has been incredible. We enjoyed your entries and hope they’ll be published one day! Thank you for sharing your creativity, talent…and amazing conflicts. Two of our Resident Writing Coaches donated edit prizes and judged the second-round entries. I can’t wait for the talented winners to see their prizes below! If you didn’t win and are looking for an editor—check these coaches out to see if they’re a good match for you (you can see full bios for all our amazing Resident Writing Coaches here.)
2. Robbie’s Inspiration: https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/2022/10/07/robbies-inspiration-a-visit-to-the-circus-via-cake-and-a-guacamole-salad-cakeart-fondantart/ On 25 September we had a family gathering to celebrate my parents’ 48th wedding anniversary. It was a lunch event and everybody contributed to the fare. I made a circus cake display and a guacamole salad. I worked on the fondant figures for the cake for about three months as they are quite time-consuming and detailed to make. I made a clown, two acrobats, two empowered circus bears, a strong man, and a ringmaster. The cake comprised three layers of my giant round cakes baked in my biggest wedding cake tin. I made a double-mix orange sponge, a triple-mix chocolate milk sponge, and a triple-mix vanilla milk sponge. All the cakes were very delicious and I took some of the leftovers to the office for my colleagues and our building management team. Always lovely displays of cakes.
3. Syl’s 65 blog: https://syl65.wordpress.com/2022/10/08/sketch-comedy-dave-allen-train/ Sylvester knows good comedy when he sees it!
4. Smorgasboard Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/10/08/smorgasbord-short-stories-milestones-along-the-way-ireland-waterford-the-american-connection-by-geoff-cronin-2/ Following on from The Colour of Life, my father-in-law Geoff Cronin wrote two more books with stories of life in Waterford and Dublin from the 1930s. He collected the stories on his travels, swapping them with others in return for his own and then treating us to the results of the exchange. Geoff also added some jokes overheard just for the Craic…Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing selected stories from Milestones Along the Way. The American Connection My great uncle Richard Condon who was my grandfather’s brother-in-law lived in Chicago for most of his life and was reported to be worth at least three million dollars. In 1930, my father was his sole heir and was to inherit the fortune. However, my father received a telegram about that time to say that his uncle, Richard Condon, had just got married. The man was near eighty years old at that time and my father said “he’s got married now with one leg in the grave and the other on a bar of soap!” Apparently, he had been involved in a car accident and was seriously injured. A long period of recovery ensued and he was nursed back to reasonably good health by a lady nurse called Jessie Barr? And this was his new bride. She was a Scots Presbyterian, twenty-nine years old, and weighed about twenty stone. Quite a handful!
5. Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo https://scvincent.com/2022/10/07/through-new-eyes/ A weekend exploring the landscape in my local area draws to a close in a few minutes. My friend is in bed, I sit here glowing pink because I caught the sun today. It was glorious weather and we have spent the day on the Chiltern hills. I miss this lovely lady’s outlook on life!
6. Friday JohnKu https://johnwhowell.com/2022/10/07/friday-johnku-aka-tgif-fri-yay-good-news-25/
7. Ohio Dog in Shelter Over 2,555 Days Finally Finds His Forever Home: ‘Flip Is a Very Loving Dog’
8. Flip’s new pet parent told PEOPLE the rescue dog is adjusting well to home life and recently enjoyed his first nap in a big bed. Who doesn’t love it when an animal finds their forever home! Awesome!
9. RosieAmber https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2022/10/08/%f0%9f%8d%82whats-flowering-in-my-garden-for-this-weeks-sixonsaturday-post-gardeninglife-gardeningtwitter/ I had great plans to bring you photos of a trip to Longstock Park Water Gardens in Hampshire, however, Covid has circled back to my household and the friend I was going with agreed it was best to postpone our trip. So I have had to scramble around my garden in search of six items for this week’s post instead. The first photo is of a lone Linum (Bright Eyes) flower. This is from a packet of seeds that I bought very late in the season. I sprinkled a few seeds out in the flower bed to see if they would still germinate. The rest I will sow next Spring.
10. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2022/10/08/5-ways-to-use-community-marketing-for-your-book-by-amanda-miller/ Locally and globally, in your community and around the world, it’s possible to create connections and memorable experiences with readers by using fun and interesting ways for them to interact with your book. This only requires a few copies of your book to give away. If the cat scratches the cover, don’t throw it away—use it for one of these nifty, inexpensive opportunities to get others involved in the marketing. I think any of these ways would be valuable and on the personal level for any author out there. They sound like such fun!
11. Word Craft Poetry https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2022/10/07/working-up-a-sweat-with-poetic-forms/ How long does it take you to write a poem that you’re truly proud of? For me, it usually takes a fair amount of time; and this has led me to a recent realization that I’d like to share. My friends and readers know that I am constantly experimenting with sundry forms of poetry and rarely write free verse. This is not to say that I never employ free verse. I do- but not nearly as often as most poets I follow on WordPress on Twitter. Free verse really does seem to be king.
12. Cold Hand Boyack https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2022/10/06/guest-author-c-s-boyack-new-release/ Joan Hall Hey, Readers. Everyone knows how much I enjoy good music – especially classic rock. Today’s guest author, C. S. Boyack does as well. He’s no stranger to this site, having been a guest several times. It’s always a pleasure to host him. Craig is not only a friend but also a contributor at Story Empire. These books remind me of the Scooby Doo gang! Fun!
13. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2022/10/storytelling-and-psychology-the-yin-and-yang-of-storytelling/ Writers need to know psychology for four main reasons: They need to know how readers think and feel and use that knowledge to engage them. They need to understand the psychology of experiencing so they can create story experiences that have a real-to-life feel. They need to design characters with plausible traits, flaws, talents, motivations, etc. They need to know themselves — why they write, what they really want to write about, and how to get out of their own way. This article explains how to create story experiences that feel real to life.
14. Marcia Meara Writes https://marciamearawrites.com/2022/10/07/thankyou/ Just a quick note to say thanks to this week’s guests, Jackie Lambert and Kassandra Lamb. I’m sorry I was unable to respond to all the lovely comments, but we have been busy every day cleaning up debris from Hurricane Ian. It’s been a long, hard week, but we’ve made substantial progress, and really appreciate your understanding and support. I’m hoping I’ll have more time to be here next week, even though I have no more guests scheduled through year’s end. But I do still have a few little surprises tucked in here and there through Christmas, along with my regular #GrannySays and #ThorsDaySmile posts. I’m hoping by slowing down a bit over the next couple of months I can finally kick Long COVID and return to both blogging and writing at my usual pace. We’ll see how that goes. Meanwhile, I’m so grateful for each and every one of you who has sent me well wishes, and who’ve been so wonderful about commenting on our guest posts. You guys ROCK!!!

Beauty and the Person by Traci Kenworth

Beauty and the Person

Traci Kenworth

Beauty touches every human being whether we realize it or not. Oh, not the makeup but the part of us that shines within our souls. There, we’re all unique. Growing up, I spent a lot of time running from who I was. I was convinced if I could just find the right concealer, the right lipstick everything in my life would change. Nowadays, I don’t usually wear much makeup. Instead, I hope that who I am emerges through it all.

Pieces of the same girl remain but not the whole. I’ve lost fragments here and there. Everybody does. It doesn’t matter if you have freckles, braces, or a big lump on your face. You’re still you. Still loveable. It took me a long while to realize this, to believe it. They’re right when they say that some people’s heart blares through in opportunities presented to them. Those are the real heroes. The ones that can reach out to the hurting, the vulnerable.

The essence of who we are, what we’re willing to give to make ours and others lives better begins to develop when we’re just a small child. We learn certain responses get us rewards. It’s not until we break free from what’s expected of us however, that we truly develop our individuality. Who we’ll become is important because when it’s all said and done, what you make of yourself inside that soul is what counts.

We want people to be proud of us. Sometimes, that happens easily. More often, it takes work. Even a person so far gone from the grid can turn their lives around. It might take a lot of time and more road than we have, but you can get there. I’m not proud of all the decisions I made in my life, but I stand by who I am and the two children I raised. They gave me a better future because they made me fight to find that truth, that hope inside myself.

Just the other day, I saw the truly awfulness we can be inside an old lady at the store when she thought I’d cut in front of her in line. I’d been waiting over twenty minutes for my meds, and they called me. She considered me a bastard among other things, shaking her fist and flipping me off without even letting me explain. I have never been confronted by an older person like that before. Oh, I’ve seen mean, yes but not such hatred. I don’t know why it was there, only that it shocked me. And that she could get others behind her in a place that wasn’t even the line to attack me as well, I just know that that isn’t how I want to live.

All pruned up and ready to assault another person because I think they’ve offended me. I was in the process of having my order stapled up when she started her rant, and I heard them call for security. I took my order and headed out, wishing her a good day. It was hard to say that after everything she’d said to me. It reminded me of my past and other times I’ve run up on such cruelty. You never see it coming. It’s like kicking a dog. That poor animal doesn’t even realize what they’ve done to harm you. They don’t get it. Don’t live like that, please. It’s not good for anybody. Least of all, yourself.

Put your good into everything you do. It’ll win you peace. Not to mention, less wrinkles. Why are we so concerned with the outside of our person when it’s the inside that houses who we are? We store our love there to be showered on others. We hold on to the wisdom we’ve learned, the fun we were offered. Life is meant to share there not bottle it up. When we stop giving a piece of ourselves to those around us, we start to die, I think.

We’re not meant to be hermits, left to our own devices. That’s what makes me so sad when elderly people are shut off from their loved ones later in life. We all need each other to stay alive, to hope, to find a reason to go on. It’s easy to give up when you think no one cares any longer. There’s nothing to bring you back. Don’t exclude anybody from gatherings if you can help it. You just might change a life, open their heart. They might’ve been kept from others for so long they forgot what it was like. How to participate.

That goes for younger participants as well. You never know what teenager is isolated and needs to be drawn back into the fold, to feel someone cares. They might be getting less and less from the emotional stage of their time in school, in sports, whatever. A job they took might not be working out. Dreams they have might’ve been put on hold for financial reasons. Find a way to make them believe again, to make them soar.

It’ll come back to you tenfold. All this time we’re here on Earth could be used for something better. To help others. To bring them back to life, to spark their dreams again. It’s never too late for anyone. It just takes a helping hand. That reaching out and bringing things back to the beauty and person inside themselves. We’ve all got a reason for being a reason to go on. It’s in that face next to you, in that hand you hold. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Live. Rejoice. And let those dreams grow. You won’t regret it, and neither will they.

Some products that you might like. I may receive a small compensation from the seller.

• Honey Mask https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010FOFHEY?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=68430cddf5a2b4835fbc9407ac345499&content-id=amzn1.sym.53aae2ac-0129-49a5-9c09-6530a9e11786%3Aamzn1.sym.53aae2ac-0129-49a5-9c09-6530a9e11786&hsa_cr_id=6360587880901&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=8b45397f-d00a-44a8-bce6-2e2b78d8e347&pd_rd_w=ViVSp&pd_rd_wg=Jo5iD&qid=1662317401&sr=1-2-a094db1c-5033-42c6-82a2-587d01f975e8&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=abc6f1090dd898a449d7fe1433a80843&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Rice Cream https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GPBH6G2?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=68430cddf5a2b4835fbc9407ac345499&content-id=amzn1.sym.53aae2ac-0129-49a5-9c09-6530a9e11786%3Aamzn1.sym.53aae2ac-0129-49a5-9c09-6530a9e11786&hsa_cr_id=6360587880901&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=74a36555-2727-47af-80a5-2781bd25197f&pd_rd_w=37NIF&pd_rd_wg=0tckm&qid=1662317494&sr=1-1-a094db1c-5033-42c6-82a2-587d01f975e8&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=cf777264656e46d2da1dab40a860ed07&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Brightening Serum https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Beauty-Brightening-Sensitive/dp/B0B7P4QSKZ?crid=2X5BKRFDVZB1X&keywords=beauty&qid=1662317494&sprefix=beauty%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVTNISlQ5UjVFRDZYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDM3MTY4MVdBNzBYUktWWDg0SiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjc3NDIxMUxPTklRUzNJQjJWMSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU%3D&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=b4729334a836f4cd0bc0e385be470a1b&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Brazilian Bum Bum Cream https://www.amazon.com/SOL-JANEIRO-Brazilian-Cream-75ml/dp/B01EXQ582Q?crid=2X5BKRFDVZB1X&keywords=beauty&qid=1662317494&sprefix=beauty%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-7&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=064fdb7e3ee09bf10c4d11179b730ba1&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Rare Beauty Liquid Blush https://www.amazon.com/Rare-Beauty-Pinch-Liquid-Blush/dp/B08KFQ6S52?crid=2X5BKRFDVZB1X&keywords=beauty&qid=1662317494&sprefix=beauty%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-9&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=3d839003f6c62f650a5ecc71836599cd&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Mighty Patch Hero Cosmetics https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Patch-Surface-Best-Selling-Hydrocolloid/dp/B07KJXFJHF?content-id=amzn1.sym.6aca3878-50d4-416a-bced-87a0bb72e8e0%3Aamzn1.sym.6aca3878-50d4-416a-bced-87a0bb72e8e0&crid=2X5BKRFDVZB1X&cv_ct_cx=beauty&keywords=beauty&pd_rd_i=B07KJXFJHF&pd_rd_r=70390e07-0144-4d28-9388-28d4934d6939&pd_rd_w=jQXQa&pd_rd_wg=GEHTt&pf_rd_p=6aca3878-50d4-416a-bced-87a0bb72e8e0&pf_rd_r=T3RKX0BQACH46SJGRHGP&qid=1662317494&sprefix=beauty%2Caps%2C69&sr=1-1-aee76b37-2095-49a1-a654-4a2b792cbfdb-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVTNISlQ5UjVFRDZYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDY0MTYwM09WU1VEMDcxWVRBRSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjY0ODI3TUNER1E2VTRCR0dGJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3Bfc2VhcmNoX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ%3D%3D&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=af1ffc438a2061764ae1b388a0e92da3&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Some blog posts you might like:

• Monday thoughts with Sylvester https://syl65.wordpress.com/2022/09/05/mondaythoughts-you-are-so-much-more
• Angel Messages with Annette https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2022/09/05/angel-messages-sep-5-2022/
• Smorgasboard Invitation https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/09/05/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-spiritual-awareness-empaths-and-energy-sucking-vampires-and-narcissists-by-d-g-kaye/
• Rosie Amber https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2022/09/05/%f0%9f%93%9athis-author-dares-to-be-different-debiejennifer-reviews-dark-urbanfantasy-legacy-witches-by-casskaywrites-for-rosies-bookreview-team-rbrt/ When Vienna Roots returns home to Salem for her mother’s funeral after a decade away, she expects a short trip. Bury the old witch, sell the family home, try not to let the ghosts of her ancestors or the demon haunting its walls get in the way of the sale, and get back to her life in Boston. No, she does not want to get involved in the tangled, occult politics of her hometown. No, she has no intention of taking over her mother’s place, or practicing her family’s particular brand of brutal magic. No, she doesn’t want to get the police involved. But when Vienna finds a hand in a drawer, and an unexpected specter haunting one of the upstairs bathrooms, she knows this quick trip home isn’t going to be nearly as fast or as simple as she’d hoped.
• Monday Funnies https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2022/09/05/monday-funnies/
• Story Empire https://storyempire.com/2022/09/05/a-labor-of-love/
• The first Monday in September is Labor Day in the US, a day to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of those people in our past who strove to make our country and the world a safer and more just place to work. We also honor those who continue to show up every day and contribute their efforts to our mutual ongoing success. Where would we be without them?
• Wordcraft Poetry https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2022/09/05/tankatuesday-poetry-stars-no-287-shareyourday/

Enjoy your Labor Day, everyone! God bless!

Finding the Inner Truth/Beauty in Yourself by Traci Kenworth

Finding the Inner Truth/Beauty in Yourself

Traci Kenworth

The taunts and cruelty growing up can cause you to lose faith in yourself. To not want to be who you are. Anything special, anything unique, you work to do away with. Because that would make you different. And different is bad. Or at least, that seems to be what we’re taught. Keep the formation. Don’t step out of line. Dream these dreams, not those.

It can be a daunting reality for a lot of kids. If there’s one thing, I think school’s get wrong: it’s that. We’re not all meant to be put in a binder together. We’re not all meant to follow the same path despite how much easier it would be for the higher-ups. Being different is good. It brings other perspectives to the table. It can show us a path forward in life that we should’ve taken all along.

So, what do you do years down the road when you look back with regret at some of the things you wish you’d done but didn’t? Dreams have a way of passing us by if we don’t grip them hard and run with them. Things change though. Sometimes due to finances, sometimes to personal problems. Or through no fault of our own. We wake up one day and look back and wonder if we’d chosen a different way, where we’d be.

We can wonder and wish all we want. The fact is life happens. That career we wanted since we were old enough to decide, didn’t pan out. The marriage we hoped for fell apart. A lot of times I think it has to do with letting other people’s perspectives influence our own. We don’t think we’re good at something, so we turn aside. If we’d stuck it out longer maybe the pegs would’ve lined up.

Still, there’s always a new start. One day you might decide to go back to one of those dreams, make a living at it. You could ignore all the naysayers and just do what’s best for you. After all, no one has to live your life but you. No one has to decide what you will be, what you will find. Uncovering that inner beauty of something we’ve always wanted to do takes time.

It doesn’t shortchange us. We weren’t supposed to pursue the path before that moment for whatever reason. It doesn’t make it wrong or silly to try and recover the dream. It makes us fulfill a promise to ourselves maybe. We let our children grow and now it’s time to rediscover something for our benefit. Maybe you always wanted that mechanic shop. Or a trip to Europe. You can do so at a later date. Nothing wrong with that.

In your pursuit of dreams, things get overturned. When you’re young, it seems you have all the time in the world. All the energy. All the faith. As the day ages, you lose some of that enthusiasm. There are those sent to talk you out of an idea for whatever reason. Holding true to what you want and believe takes a lot of determination. It takes a lot of perseverance, but you can do what you set your mind to.

Only you can hold you back when it comes down to it. You promise yourself one day. Well, one day has arrived. Dig down deep and find that core, that strength that was always there. Waiting. Find the foundation, discover the new road. Life can be anything you want it to be. Sure, you might be starting down the end road in life. Your finances might not be where you want them to be. A few kids, a few grandkids later might seem like time to retire.

Don’t give up on yourself. Take that moment. Pursue that dream. And find the inner beauty within, that truth that was always meant to be. Have a great week, take care, God bless.

Some products you may be interested in. I may receive a small compensation for the advertising from the seller.

• Lil Glo Peel & Primer Kit: https://www.amazon.com/Route-Beauty-At-Home-Illuminizing-Primer/dp/B09F2KXMY4?crid=LNWGSEKTX7K4&keywords=beauty&qid=1659433502&sprefix=beauty%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=d1badc9c9ba28b26c35bba13c3f0a7de&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Beauty Blender: https://www.amazon.com/BEAKEY-Foundation-Blending-Flawless-Multi-colored/dp/B01F36JEXE?crid=1YLQN31ZEOHUK&keywords=beauty+blender&qid=1659433667&s=beauty&sprefix=beauty%2Cbeauty%2C105&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A37V6X8HMRL25A&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=b36373c97eed450082aeef0f21ee8baf&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Grow Long: https://www.amazon.com/Marc-Anthony-Strengthening-Strength-Conditioner/dp/B076FHJ3K5?pd_rd_w=UAnvg&content-id=amzn1.sym.dc024851-6d2a-4fc5-b9ca-d1a1b3cfd5ff&pf_rd_p=dc024851-6d2a-4fc5-b9ca-d1a1b3cfd5ff&pf_rd_r=416FS4Y8EGQ3WJ33D9FX&pd_rd_wg=A7BuI&pd_rd_r=31e21eba-4133-46d3-ad51-78d3e9b9df02&pd_rd_i=B076FHJ3K5&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=f7f1ec08fd931df1ea5739e63583b571&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Victoria’s Secret Love Spell: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010BTW516?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=6e737d72d62595f7f4819055af88f991&content-id=amzn1.sym.53aae2ac-0129-49a5-9c09-6530a9e11786%3Aamzn1.sym.53aae2ac-0129-49a5-9c09-6530a9e11786&hsa_cr_id=5486308190801&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=4ea5303b-3876-4676-bbd9-cbda9ca54836&pd_rd_w=G3M3Z&pd_rd_wg=sIHAz&qid=1659433943&sr=1-1-a094db1c-5033-42c6-82a2-587d01f975e8&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=efc06984441fe1b2bdb731fcb616b8bf&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Perfume Tray: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MC3XFKW?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07TT22P6L&pd_rd_w=S6vqQ&content-id=amzn1.sym.b199086e-a807-4f51-a49b-3c8d9f2f1f89&pf_rd_p=b199086e-a807-4f51-a49b-3c8d9f2f1f89&pf_rd_r=BQDYRPBFN49YZDT62XA3&pd_rd_wg=8xuL3&pd_rd_r=3faa1161-7145-45b4-8126-aaec48fcd4d8&linkCode=ll1&tag=mywebsite071a-20&linkId=23bebd0e314149945c83aabb7d5ab3fd&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Some blogs around the web you may enjoy:

• Water for Lovers: https://houseofheartweb.wordpress.com/2022/08/02/water-for-lovers/

Come swim with me in Jupiter’s moons,

roam the red rolling hills of Mars

come back to rest against blue earth.

• Roberta Writes: https://robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com/2022/08/02/roberta-writes-great-expectations-by-charles-dickens-the-mystery-of-two-endings/ Sometimes, I think, it’s better to go with the author’s orginal ending as opposed to the more popular one.
• Syl65’s blog: https://syl65.wordpress.com/2022/08/03/unburdened/#respond
• Smorgasboard Magazine: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/08/03/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-carol-taylors-culinary-a-z-rewind-d-for-dates-dragon-fruit-drupes-durian-and-dirty-rice/

Welcome to a repeat of the series from Carol Taylor, the wonderful Culinary A – Z and a reminder, not only of the amazing variety of food we have available to us today from around the world, but delicious recipes to showcase them. Carol also introduces to cooking methods and kitchen equipment that assist in creating meals for all occasions.

Welcome today it’s the letter D …I have some exotic fruits for you and some lovely recipes I hope you enjoy!

• Chris the Story Reading Ape: The Teritary Principles of Plot: https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2022/08/03/the-tertiary-principles-of-plot-plans-gaps-crises-by-september-fawkes/ In storytelling, the primary principles of plot include goal, antagonist, conflict, and consequences. You can’t have a great plot without those elements first. The secondary principles of plot build directly off the primary, and they include progress, setbacks, costs, and turning points. As you likely guessed, the tertiary principles build off the prior two sets, and they include plans, gaps, and crises. Chris, always has such interesting posts! Check this out!
• John Howell.com: https://johnwhowell.com/2022/08/02/30535/ In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph (If you are curious about what we were photographing, it was the sun beginning to set over one of the domes of the mosque adjacent to the Taj Mahal. Click here to see my effort). Either put your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before Sunday evening UK time. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
• Story Empire: https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2022/08/03/characters-and-diversity-part-3-physical-ability/ Hello SE friends, Gwen with you today, and together we will venture further into the theme of diversity. In June, I wrote about including racial diversity in your stories. Here’s a link to that post. In July, I focused on financial diversity and offered suggestions which you can read here. Today’s topic is PHYSICAL ABILITY. Just as in the prior two posts, I will write from personal experience and invite you to share your experiences as well.

Are We Haunted By Our Pasts? Traci Kenworth

Are We Haunted By Our Pasts?

Traci Kenworth

Sometimes what we write comes from within. Something in our pasts, a memory trying to break free. When we stare at the words, we’ve written we realize there’s a familiarity there. Considering what it might be, we wonder: where did that come from? Did it touch upon the time we fell from a bike on the gravel and skinned our knees, too eager to get home to Mom’s apple pie. Or was it even deeper? The unpleasant memory of a relative who assaulted us? My whole life, I’ve learned about forgiveness. Sometimes, that’s hard.

There were those in my family who couldn’t understand why I could “let” my ex get away with what he did. Simply, it was because I prayed and gave it to God. Not that I didn’t get angry about the events of my marriage and the days following after the end. The hurt. The realization. Tears. How could I not have realized what or who I’d married? The remembrance of his words telling me to slit my wrists like his girlfriend’s husband did, to prove my love to him. That was the last straw for me.

When we’re writing a character or a scene, we often don’t realize where or when we’re going to take them to a place where we ourselves have been. Things happen unconsciously. The good thing is because we’ve been there, we can identify. We can add the details that are true to the scene. How far we push the memory depends. We can go deep. Or we can just outline the events. Sometimes that’s easier for us to handle. The pushing helps us to relive what we went through and perhaps to release the pain. However, it can also trigger memories. We have to decide how far things go for our own comfort.

            Sadness sometimes evades my writing where needed even without me realizing I’m going there at times. I want to turn away. To put those memories to rest. But I realize, by telling my story, by relating through the character’s perspective, I can help others who’ve been through the experiences. That’s the thing about books. People think we pick them up and their words go away when we’re done. And granted, that happens with some books. Others pull us in, they get inside our skin. They transform us and our circumstances. They help us. We see others familiar with our pasts and relating to what they’ve been through. Books hit us in our guts and help to root us in healing and going forward.

            We may think we’re nothing like some characters. That we couldn’t do or say what they have. After the book is finished and out there, we stumble when we realize we may indeed have a streak or a pinch of them inside us. We wish we were as brave or adventurous as them. That we could have life turn out differently for us, if only. Sometimes, that’s crippling. Others, we realize that even if we knew, even if we could change things, the biggest turnover would be in our character. I wouldn’t change who I am now for anything. Not that I’m perfect. I’ve done and said things, horrible things, but I’ve also been at the pit of violence and made it out along with my children.

            They know me. They accept me for who I am. Flaws like everyone caused me to change, to grow, to learn better. I’m still striving to get better. To be a kinder, gentler person. Sometimes, my mouth betrays me. I swear way too much at times. I wish I didn’t. I pray that God would help me to tame my tongue. But as I age and settle into who I’ve become, I give myself a break. An allowance. Forgiving others is hard. Forgiving ourselves is even worse. We think we should’ve seen things. And we did. We just didn’t know to pay attention. If only can cripple a soul if you let it.

Our pasts judge us. They weigh us down. Nothing quite condemns our actions as we ourselves do. Moving beyond that takes mercy. For ourselves, for others. We don’t necessarily have to let that person back into our lives but holding on to that cliff of unforgiveness can ghost us. Moving on may be difficult. At the pinnacle of despair, I didn’t know how or what to do. For myself, for others. My illness forced me into a darkness I didn’t understand or know how to battle. I gave up. Only to find a peek of myself again.

Guiding myself back to health and life beyond has been one of the hardest challenges I had to face. When you hate others, you can bottle that up and beg God to take it from you. When you hate yourself, sometimes it feels like there’s no end. I couldn’t understand how a miserable wretch such as myself deserved to live. A conditioning I’d learned over years of abuse. I had been weak. I’d let myself be fooled and disgusted with myself, felt drained. Near death. It was my children who pulled me out at that point. Just remembering them. Journaling about them while in therapy. Their smiles, their hugs. They were my world.

They’re still my world. Are we haunted by our pasts? Heck, yeah. There’s not a single person I’ve met over the years that hasn’t done something they regret. Whether it was getting involved with an individual they shouldn’t have to abandoning their families. We may look down on others for what they’re going through but that’s just it. You DON’T know what someone’s going through. Health-wise. Relationship-wise. Morality-wise. Judging someone for their perceived failings is forgetting to look at ourselves in the mirror.

We’ve all been on a journey we wished we hadn’t taken. Now I’m not talking about someone who has obviously done something like murder or rape. All acts are not the same. I’m suggesting that you give your neighbor or your coworker or that person in the seat across from you on the subway some compassion. We all make mistakes. We all deserve to come back from them. Provided we’re sincere. With God’s forgiveness as well as our own. We often haunt our own lives with condemnations more than anything others could throw at us. Maybe that’s how God brings us to our knees. To accept redemption.

Below are some products you may like, I may receive a small compensation from the sellers:

1. The Batman: https://amzn.to/3LAkpGO Because, who has a more haunted past?
2. The Unwilling: https://amzn.to/3PwIMrX Who doesn’t love a good book?
3. Cloud vs. Sepiroth: https://amzn.to/39LHJEo Two of the most legendary characters of the Final Fantasy 7 series in a two-player battle between them.

Here are some blog links you may enjoy.

1. Kill Zone https://killzoneblog.com/2022/05/tkzs-words-of-wisdom.html This site has all kinds of advice for writers and not just the mystery/suspense writers. Come explore.
2. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2022/05/fear-thesaurus-entry-a-secret-being-revealed/

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life. 

In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.

This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.

3. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2022/05/21/angel-messages-may-21-2022/ An inspirational site!

4. Two Drops of Ink: A Literary Blog https://twodropsofink.com/2022/05/20/writers-are-you-trying-too-hard/

Especially after a success or two, I become elated and, believing (finally) I really am a writer, attempt to duplicate that last glory. 

I giggle to myself at the puns, murmur self-approval at the turns of phrases, and hear imagined readers’ gasps of delight at my ingenuity. 

Then, a red-yellow warning flare shoots through my brain before I can heap more accolades on myself—Uh-oh, ego ascendant.

The signs are unmistakable. If I ignore that flare, I know it heralds disaster: I’m trying too hard to write. 

5. This is Horror https://www.thisishorror.co.uk/news-round-up-week-ending-20-may-2022/

Out today from author Holly Rae Garcia and Easton Falls Publishing, Parachute, a horror novella

Angela Rodriguez and her friends aren’t sure what they want out of life now that they’ve graduated high school, but they think there is plenty of time to figure it all out. When a trip to an abandoned elementary school leads to a break-in, they discover an old gym parachute. Raising the fabric above their heads, the group expects it to balloon out around them like it did when they were younger. But instead, the parachute reveals alternate universes and terrifying worlds. There’s only one rule… DON’T LET GO. Available in paperback and eBook formats, you can pick up your copy here.

Writerly Things 10/24/2020 Traci Kenworth

Image by Gerhard G. from Pixabay

Writerly Things 10/26/2020

Traci Kenworth

Update: The insurance denied our coverage for the damages done. I will be taking hiatus until further notice while we search for another place to live and pack up things.

Writerly Things 10/21/2020 Traci Kenworth

Image by Susan Cipriano from Pixabay

Writerly Things 10/19/2020

Traci Kenworth

Update: The adjuster was out, and he said it’d take a week for the insurance to get back to me. They will send the money, if any, to the mortgage company who decides whether to approve project or not. Been through this before. A lot of contractors don’t want to work with mortgages because they don’t get paid, they say. I had a hard time getting those funds with the mortgage company before this and they ended up keeping the money while I refinanced back then. Thus, I lost my back porch back then but managed to squeeze the money out for roof repairs.

As for health, this doctor wasn’t able to help me either so sending me back to family physician who passed me off to urgent care back when all this began.

Writerly Things 10/12/2020 Traci Kenworth

Image by vishnu vijayan from Pixabay

Writerly Things 10/12/2020

Traci Kenworth

It’s back to the doctor’s today. My stomach is still bloated and painful. The meds my one doctor prescribed, another said not to take as it would interfere with a new one he gave me (for an unrelated condition) so I’m back to hurting. My other dr. couldn’t figure why he’d take me off but said I could take another med which I’m headed to his office to get the script for. Then I have to stop by the eye doctor’s as the glasses I went in for a week ago they forgot to take my card for so my former insurance said I wasn’t covered anymore. Ergh. So have to re-pick out some new frames. Sigh.

As for my house, still figuring things out. The adjuster said we weren’t covered then switched gears when I explained about the groundhogs so some of it might be covered. Wouldn’t you know it, he wants to come out when I’m due in doctor’s office. I’ll have to re-schedule for an evening as I have another dr. visit Wed. And tomorrow, have to pick up my daughter’s boyfriend to take him to work with my kids.

Have a great week, take care, and God bless.

Writing desk. Writing Journal. The Writer’s Toolbox.

Book Talk 10/9/2020 Traci Kenworth

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

I’m reading: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas, The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco, and The Nethergate by Robbie Cheadle. I’ve cut down in an effort to help while taking better care of my health and dealing with major house repairs.

Writerly Things 10/5/2020 Traci Kenworth

Image by dandelion_tea from Pixabay

Writerly Things 10/5/2020: The Steamroll of Life

Traci Kenworth

Currently, I’m facing major repairs on my house. My main waterline has buckled and water is flooding my crawlspace. I’m in the process of getting estimates but it looks like everyone else in this area is as well as I’ve been repeatedly told places are swamped with business. Even the ones that’ve been out haven’t gotten around to estimates so I’m having to wait to pass along figures to the insurance adjuster. If they even help us out. If they don’t, we might have to look into other ways to finance or consider moving elsewhere.

This place has been a money pit for years. It started with a tornado a couple months after we first moved in and there’s been several storm year’s damages since as well as deterioration from the property itself. All I can do is wait and keep faith that God knows what he’s doing whether it’s to stay here until finances improve and we can get something better or to get repairs done and make the best of it. Or pack up altogether.

As far as rentals go, I’ve looked into some but they’ve already been taken. Guess everyone’s looking for a place right now. I know new homes are on the rise in these parts. Some older ones are selling but mostly, buyers want new. Not that I can blame them. However, things break down in new houses too. Costs seem to be skyrocketing all around. Anyway, that’s what I’m dealing with right now. Not to mention, I still have to go back to doctors to see if they can figure things out medical-wise for me as well.

Have a great week, take care, and God bless!

Book Talk 10/2/2020 Traci Kenworth

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

Nothing yet. Starting reading again.