Monday, October 25, 2010

Well, well, well

I usually start letters and emails with "well." I often use the word as a subject line.


Every. single. one. of My Man's mission letters starts with "well."(So funny.)


I like the word "well." It allows time to think. It interrupts awkward pauses. It signals it's time to go. Beginning a letter that way makes you feel like you're already in the middle of a conversation. It is the universal ice breaker. 


Then there's the other type of well. The deep chasm where water is drawn - the basis of all life. When I say "well" in a conversation, I like to think I'm digging deeper, reaching down to draw up something life-sustaining and precious.


(Or maybe I think too much? Entirely possible.)


Well, I've been excavating my well lately. Digging deeper. Trying to increase my capacity, my potential, myself.

I've been taking some classes. A weekly scripture course. An 8-week photography class. A weekly book club on steroids.

This latter well-digger-outer is called Five Pillars. (Wiki does a merely okay job of explaining.) I prefer calling it a "personal enrichment course," or maybe "leadership training," but that sounds kinda cheesy for every day conversation.

The idea is to improve ourselves  by reading classics (on the list this year: Les Mes, tons of Shakespeare, Jane Eyre, etc.), writing essays, lots of discussion, and public speaking.

Homework. Lots of homework.

And I love it.

As I feel my well getting deeper, inch by inch, I'm staring to see others in a new light. Myself in a new light. I am asking questions I don't know the answers to, and eagerly searching to quiet my curiosity. I read books differently now.

I dog-ear pages, I take notes. I ask questions about the character, the motivations, the implications for my life. Then I write about it.

It's exhausting, all this well-digging.

But necessary in a drought.

I've been thirsty.

8 comments:

Melanie Jacobson said...

It sounds downright fantastic in the very best sense of the word.

Jocelyn Christensen said...

Well, now.... :)

That's so very good for you...and I even see that you are also cursing baby fat to the deepest corner of outer darkness too! Good job!

Wonder Woman said...

Well, now doesn't that sound positively stimulating. good for you, Girl. I just joined a book club too and am loving it.

Courtney @ Ordinary Happily Ever After said...

YAY! The same thing is happening to me. Feels good doesn't it :)

Lara Neves said...

This thing sounds awesome! I love that you're doing it.

I would love a weekly book club, although I don't think I could hack timewise right now. Sounds amazing.

Dorothy said...

This is a sweet post. Sweet as in awesome, not aww. Very inspiring. Thank you.

Happy Mom said...

I wanna do a book club on steroids! I don't even know what that is, but reading you makes me want to do one too.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Beautiful, thought-provoking, and inspiring. In other words...YOU.