A writer is first a receiver, open to messages all the time, always watching and listening. A message or image can come at any moment; the writer’s job then becomes How do I interpret this? What meaning shall I attach? How will I shape this notion, this idea, this sense of something, into words to relay it?
The greatest challenge is capturing that first fleeting message before it’s lost; I heard an author say once that “a new idea is fragile thing.”
Sometimes a writer recognizes that an idea is hovering close and just hasn’t landed yet. Some ideas flutter and dart about like hummingbirds for a while. For me this is like Yeah, I know you’re there, Idea, whatever you are. I feel you darting in and out. One of these days I’m going to get ahold of you but right now I am tired of the chase.
So it was on a day that I visited the hair salon. One of my favorite things there is the complimentary coffee bar for clients. As the iCoffee machine whirred and glowed with blue light, illuminating the cup (so mesmerizing), I reached for a napkin.
The napkins here are always pretty, often seasonal. A lot of thought on someone’s part clearly goes into the napkin choices, no detail being too small or insignificant in creating a pleasant experience.
This napkin was a message.
You saw it yourself, at the top of this post—that’s a picture of the napkin.
Coffee momentarily forgotten, I stood there thinking, I’ll write about this. Somehow . . .
Yesterday I told someone: “When an image comes to you, Writer, use it!”
Today I return to the napkin, thinking. I finally decide to Google the phrase printed on it, suspecting that it’s connected to an author out there somewhere.
Aha. The quote seems to have come from Patrick Overton’s book of poems entitled The leaning tree:
“When you come to the edge of all of the light you’ve known, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown; faith is knowing one of two things will happen. You’ll have something solid to stand on, or you’ll be taught how to fly.”
The idea is so near now that I can feel its wings beating against my soul
Believe. Believe. Believe.
Like the beating of a heart.
I wonder what word would remain if the napkin were tossed outside, trampled on, battered by wind and rain. What the last surviving word would be.
Maybe faith.
Maybe believing.
Maybe fly.
For the napkin in my hand is ephemeral, meant to be thrown away.
Faith, believing, and fly — hear the wings, feel the breeze stirred by their rustling? — are eternal.
Oh, wait—there’s one tiny word there on the napkin, there on the butterfly—how could I have almost missed it?
Blessed.
Thank You, I whisper at last.
And I write.
lit bits and pieces 
Believe
like the beating
of the heart,
in the beating
of the heart,
in the end that
begins in the
start, the way
an idea might flutter
around, and land
unexpectedly,
so that what you write
inspires what I write
and what they may yet write
becomes mere echoes,
stones across the
ripples of the pond.
In this:
Believe.
— I’m line-lifting a bit to make poems as comments on posts. Forgive the intrusion.
🙂
Kevin
http://dogtrax.edublogs.org
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So beautiful, Kevin – I am amazed.
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Kevin, I read your poem backwards today, too. Beautiful!
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The quote- napkin!- captured my attention at the top of the post. I love the story of how you found it and the search for inspiration. Fran, your writing is always so poignant. You are a blogger I love to read.
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I love that word, poignant. Thank you, Kathleen. Know that you’re an inspiration yourself. . .
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Just want to add that your slice “The Cariest” is one in particular that inspires me … that idea is still fluttering …
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So well written Fran, the flow, the phrasing, the word choice – all so powerful. In this you should believe. Truly wonderful, thank you for sharing.
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Thank you so much, Alex, for reading and for sharing your thoughts.
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Your post caught my attention as soon as I saw the napkin, because my theme this month is “flight-flying-looking up”. I may steal this quote to start a Slice!
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Please use whatever you wish. 🙂
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“A new idea is a fragile thing.” This line reminded me of Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic. (Have you read it?) Your post is beautiful in so many ways — its message, your voice, the flow. Just lovely! I have to get some of those napkins!
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I do have Big Magic and love it. My favorite part is where Gilbert talks about poet Ruth Stone hearing an idea rushing at her and rushing for paper & pencil in hopes of catching it … she caught an idea “by the tail” once, pulled it back, and the poem came out backwards. I believe it! Thank you, Jennifer, for your words and your heart.
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Messages or inspiration come from many places if only we notice. You notice, but then ponder and something beautiful is the result. I need to notice more and ponder deeper. Thanks for the inspiration today (and every day)!
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Pure beauty in this piece. Your writing I liken to my preacher’s style of giving sermons. There’s a relaxed pace to your writing. Almost conversational-like one has with a dear friend that they haven’t seen in quite awhile. This piece gave my heart even more peace.
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Bless you, Anna Maria – you bless me. 🙂
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What a beautiful post, Fran. I love your opening line: “A writer is first a receiver, open to messages all the time, always watching and listening.” And then finding that gorgeous napkin! The universe has so many gifts to share with us. All we have to do is pay attention.
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Thank you, Catherine. I so agree about the gifts being right there for the taking, if we take the time to see.
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