Last summer, I attended a writing workshop in which we made a list of these stories we tell about ourselves, these self-mythologies. You might try it yourself. Make a list, 5 things, 10 things, boink things. These are things I hear myself saying about myself. These are things I hear myself thinking about myself. These are things I have decided about myself, even when they contradict myself. — Erin S. Lane
self-mythologies 1. That I prefer one-piece swimsuits 2. That I prefer comfort to change 3. That I am too fragile in my bones 4. That I am my memories 5. That my memories are static 6. That I enjoy the taste of grapefruit 7. That I have little still to grieve 8. That I am too ______ to be a writer, minister, parent, etc. 9. That my body needs to be fixed 10. That my mind needs to be fixed 11. That my body and mind are two 12. That my work is my worth 13. That my worth is subject to change 14. That I am more Elizabethan than willow trees and ice cream 15. That God is anything but a web of interbeing new things 1. That noticing is a form of healing 2. That my silver hairs are witchy and magical 3. That my gut is worth paying attention to 4. That my "no" is a sacred act 5. That my "yes" is a sacred act 6. That I am good at riding a bike sometimes 7. That setting boundaries is like riding a bike 8. That I am queer 9. That I have growth spurts 10. That I am weirder with age 11. That I have good taste in music 12. That I can learn to graft onto a familial branch 13. That I can make a mistake and still be loved 14. That I can grieve and still be moved 14. That grief and love are sisters 15. That I am growing new roots
Hello, friends! Do you know those times when everything feels like it is on a precipice — a stark before and after — and the only thing to do is pack a lunchbox of good snacks for the road? This is one of those times. I am moving to Durham, North Carolina and turning 30 in a matter of days and weeks. I will say goodbye to a familiar place and unpack my boxes, stories, etc. I don’t know what the stories will say yet — and I am glad to not be alone. Thank you for writing with me.
This week’s writing prompt: What are your self-mythologies, “boink things,” that need holding up to the light to see the moth-eaten holes? What needs a “subject change”? How does it feel to say “huh, I wonder if this still holds”?
This week’s fun find: on waiting for emergence
See you soon in poem land,
Elizabeth
P.S. Comment with your story - I’d love to hear your old and new 💜
Are the two lists, ones you, Elizabeth, wrote.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder that the words we use for ourselves matter and can change. I love your sparkling silver hairs and the wisdom they bring. Happy birthday and happy move. I can’t wait to have you back in NC.