They say never say never. I think I got bored yesterday. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon and my Substack was done. Dinner wasn't for two hours and my float is usually at 5. I was like, "What am I supposed to do now?" I stared out the window for a few minutes and then I made a phone call and then I filled my vitamin box for the week. I'm not sure, but I think I was bored.
At 5:00 this morning, I debated whether or not to change "never" to "rarely." After some struggle, the word crafter one out over honesty. I felt like "never" was a stronger statement and flowed out of my mouth better... plus.. it would've been a pain in the neck to change the audio at the last minute.
So... just to be clear. I do sometimes get bored. ❤️
Dear Hal. I met you earlier this week during Office Hours, and I am smitten with your work, your life, your courage and creativity. Brave, honest, open Hal. Thank you for being you, for telling the truth. Dark Night of the Soul: I am a certified meditation teacher and actually have a script for this very topic. Let me know if you'd like me to email it to you. Bless you, friend. (PS: I'm going to recommend you to my subscribers, too.)
So many thoughts on this one. I think of David Kessler, grief expert, discussing the blank page as your future, that it’s not written yet, that you are the writer, not the past, not losses, not death in the point he makes. He says, “You are the creator of your future. Don’t let your mind tell you otherwise. Your future is blank as of now. As the saying goes, ‘Don’t let your past dictate your future.’” He talks about thoughts and meaning like saying “I’m healing versus I’m stuck.”
I hope you write the story of the dark night of the soul - primarily for you, yourself, your healing - and then share it to the world if YOU want to. I felt I went through one in 2007. I had several talks with Maj, who told me to just sit with it, to try to sit with the sadness and darkness and see what it told me. I had stopped journaling years before to not stay mired in negative emotions so I have little documented from that time except medical records, poetry, and a few emails.
That brings me to my third thought. Journaling in any way can be so illuminating! During the pandemic of 2020, I started to come to terms with numerous traumas in my life so I picked up a journal in May 2020 and wrote what I had been afraid to speak about one specific trauma. About a month later, one of my dearest friends and supports in life through some of the traumas died and the journals became a place to process grief. I’m on journal #7 now and when I revisit them, I have insights, epiphanies, and learn new things that my writing subconscious knows. I’m as honest as I can be with myself because I know I’m only writing it for me as an outlet and place to process and find meaning. Sometimes creativity shows up there too-musings, poems, quotes and memes I collect and want to remember, images, hope. Keep writing it out, Hal, however that looks for you.
Hi Hal. I always love reading or listening to these, and I loved this one too. And I love that you're having such fun writing them, and that people are reading and listening to them. There's one thing you said that I push back against all the time in myself, though- that line, "Publications [or whatever] that are successful keep going." Like, that to be successful, you have to keep going forever. I have that voice in my head a lot, and I try to remind myself that if I never write another song, or play another show, it will have been enough. Dayenu. :)
Thanks again for sharing. I was on a zoom meeting with my three sisters this morning. We started this Sunday ritual back in 2020 and have just continued it as a way to connect and share on a weekly basis. Over the last two years, we have had happy chats, informative chats, sorrowful chats and a myriad of heartfelt sharing that helps solidify and grow our bond. California, New York, Massachusetts and Ohio are represented in this weekly get together. Today, we ended up discussing how life experience; good, bad or indifferent occurs and we as humans, never really "get over" any of it. The experience becomes part of us and, as we evolve as "experienced humans", our thoughts, our words and our actions are influenced by our past and present. Our/my perspective and priorities change, as they should, due to what have lived through.
Your insight and reflection and how you can express it in written word is incredible. You are influencing me and those I may influence in my interactions with them. A ripple effect if you will.
My sisters do not know you, but they have been touched by you through me.
Hi Hal. I read your email every Saturday and really enjoyed todays. This summer I have had mild Chronic Fatigue and also suffered post viral fatigue after having covid a year ago. I am getting stronger but am not back to full strength yet. Being honest, sometimes your experiences frighten me because I fear that one day it could be me if my fatigue took a downturn. But I am also inspired by you. You have a wonderful upbeat tone and inspite of your illness you have built such a huge community both here on Substack and on social media. I'm sure you will keep finding interesting things to write about. I too am intrigued by what you might say and discover in a dark night of the soul post. If you write it please remember to take care of yourself too because sometimes that big old emotional stuff can take its toll. Happy Saturday!
P. S. I got wordle in 3 today. I love wordle and find it a gentle, grounding thing to do each day.
They say never say never. I think I got bored yesterday. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon and my Substack was done. Dinner wasn't for two hours and my float is usually at 5. I was like, "What am I supposed to do now?" I stared out the window for a few minutes and then I made a phone call and then I filled my vitamin box for the week. I'm not sure, but I think I was bored.
At 5:00 this morning, I debated whether or not to change "never" to "rarely." After some struggle, the word crafter one out over honesty. I felt like "never" was a stronger statement and flowed out of my mouth better... plus.. it would've been a pain in the neck to change the audio at the last minute.
So... just to be clear. I do sometimes get bored. ❤️
Dear Hal. I met you earlier this week during Office Hours, and I am smitten with your work, your life, your courage and creativity. Brave, honest, open Hal. Thank you for being you, for telling the truth. Dark Night of the Soul: I am a certified meditation teacher and actually have a script for this very topic. Let me know if you'd like me to email it to you. Bless you, friend. (PS: I'm going to recommend you to my subscribers, too.)
Thanks for showing up, for sharing, and for being authentic. I'm looking forward to episode 29, whatever it brings.
So many thoughts on this one. I think of David Kessler, grief expert, discussing the blank page as your future, that it’s not written yet, that you are the writer, not the past, not losses, not death in the point he makes. He says, “You are the creator of your future. Don’t let your mind tell you otherwise. Your future is blank as of now. As the saying goes, ‘Don’t let your past dictate your future.’” He talks about thoughts and meaning like saying “I’m healing versus I’m stuck.”
I hope you write the story of the dark night of the soul - primarily for you, yourself, your healing - and then share it to the world if YOU want to. I felt I went through one in 2007. I had several talks with Maj, who told me to just sit with it, to try to sit with the sadness and darkness and see what it told me. I had stopped journaling years before to not stay mired in negative emotions so I have little documented from that time except medical records, poetry, and a few emails.
That brings me to my third thought. Journaling in any way can be so illuminating! During the pandemic of 2020, I started to come to terms with numerous traumas in my life so I picked up a journal in May 2020 and wrote what I had been afraid to speak about one specific trauma. About a month later, one of my dearest friends and supports in life through some of the traumas died and the journals became a place to process grief. I’m on journal #7 now and when I revisit them, I have insights, epiphanies, and learn new things that my writing subconscious knows. I’m as honest as I can be with myself because I know I’m only writing it for me as an outlet and place to process and find meaning. Sometimes creativity shows up there too-musings, poems, quotes and memes I collect and want to remember, images, hope. Keep writing it out, Hal, however that looks for you.
Thanks, Hal. This episode spoke to me. I am at a real "blank page" time in my life, so these are things I think about everyday.
I hope you tell Dark Night of the Soul. Until then, let’s wordle. 🥰
Wordle 427 6/6
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Hi Hal. I always love reading or listening to these, and I loved this one too. And I love that you're having such fun writing them, and that people are reading and listening to them. There's one thing you said that I push back against all the time in myself, though- that line, "Publications [or whatever] that are successful keep going." Like, that to be successful, you have to keep going forever. I have that voice in my head a lot, and I try to remind myself that if I never write another song, or play another show, it will have been enough. Dayenu. :)
Hey Hal,
Thanks again for sharing. I was on a zoom meeting with my three sisters this morning. We started this Sunday ritual back in 2020 and have just continued it as a way to connect and share on a weekly basis. Over the last two years, we have had happy chats, informative chats, sorrowful chats and a myriad of heartfelt sharing that helps solidify and grow our bond. California, New York, Massachusetts and Ohio are represented in this weekly get together. Today, we ended up discussing how life experience; good, bad or indifferent occurs and we as humans, never really "get over" any of it. The experience becomes part of us and, as we evolve as "experienced humans", our thoughts, our words and our actions are influenced by our past and present. Our/my perspective and priorities change, as they should, due to what have lived through.
Your insight and reflection and how you can express it in written word is incredible. You are influencing me and those I may influence in my interactions with them. A ripple effect if you will.
My sisters do not know you, but they have been touched by you through me.
M
Hi Hal. I read your email every Saturday and really enjoyed todays. This summer I have had mild Chronic Fatigue and also suffered post viral fatigue after having covid a year ago. I am getting stronger but am not back to full strength yet. Being honest, sometimes your experiences frighten me because I fear that one day it could be me if my fatigue took a downturn. But I am also inspired by you. You have a wonderful upbeat tone and inspite of your illness you have built such a huge community both here on Substack and on social media. I'm sure you will keep finding interesting things to write about. I too am intrigued by what you might say and discover in a dark night of the soul post. If you write it please remember to take care of yourself too because sometimes that big old emotional stuff can take its toll. Happy Saturday!
P. S. I got wordle in 3 today. I love wordle and find it a gentle, grounding thing to do each day.