23 Comments
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Kelly Jedele's avatar

Ugggggh I relate. My soul always asks this question and won’t let go. She is tired and wants to burn through everything to show herself loud and proud! Maybe it is time. Love you and love your writings ❤️

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Show yourself loud and proud! Burn through! I love all of this. And yes yes yes. It is time. Love you to babe. xoxox

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Nancy G. Shapiro's avatar

"I am done being quiet, I am ready to do things true instead of right, I will be brave enough to ask for help along the way." Brava, Jocelyn, brava!

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Thank you, Nancy!

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Amy Gross's avatar

I relate to do much of this…and I loved being taken back to the song!

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Thank you for sharing that, Amy. ♥️ And that song is so fun.

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Jillian Barnet's avatar

It absolutely is good enough. The problem comes, I think, when we equate rejection with not good enough. So often rejection just means unlucky (as in redundant with another already-chosen piece, an editor who doesn’t resonate with the topic, etc.) It’s not about you or the writing, or the house, or whatever, but about a myriad of factors in a realm beyond us. We just need to be persistent.

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Yes, you are so right. And I LOVE this piece of wisdom, "It’s not about you or the writing, or the house, or whatever, but about a myriad of factors in a realm beyond us. We just need to be persistent." Thank you, friend. ♥️

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JA Sauvageau's avatar

Loved this. Good luck with the micro-essay and the home sale! And please do keep writing, Jocelyn. Your community is here for you!

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

JA, thank you for the kind words and the good wishes! Something shifted a little today, maybe sharing where I am with you, this wonderful community, but for the first time in weeks, I wrote a draft of a full-length essay. And it felt sooo good. 🙏♥️

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JA Sauvageau's avatar

🥳 Amazing!! 🙌

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Shaista Ali's avatar

So beautiful. And relatable. ‘Which door will allow you to break your own heart and remove the tether from the tree…’.

You are in some literary career now! It may look different than the young you imagined, but look at these wondrous eyes on your words!!

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Ohhhh, Shaista, what a wonderful thing to say, "You are in some literary career now!" You are so right. And it does look different and YES all these wonderous and wonderful and loving and supportive eyes. What a lucky woman I am. Thank you thank you for pointing that out with so much love. ❤️

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Melanie Williams de Amaya's avatar

This reads powerfully Jocelyn. Trust what is true. Your descriptions of the Central American birds was special to me living here, but the whole piece went deep. You are good enough just so you know. But perhaps you have captured something even more true than that, making space for imperfection and giving permission to ask for help, takes away the hold of the question "is it good enough". I do enjoy your writing. All the best with your submission. 🌻

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Melanie, thank you! Those birds. We had the opportunity to watch a Quetzal nest up in Monteverde--my ex was a biologist and knew people who knew hidden and sacred places. And the motmot, they were my very favorite.

And thank you for your whole comment, it felt wonderful to read. I love the way you said this, takes away the hold of the question "is it good enough". I love that word "hold" in there.

I forget where you are in CR, remind me?

xoxox

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Melanie Williams de Amaya's avatar

Hi Jocelyn. We live in Honduras. I havent seen a quetzal. That must have been amazing to see one nesting and the privilege of shating in sacred spaces. I love the mot mots, and get a real thrill when we see toucans. Just thus past week a hummingbird has started visiting our garden so im super excited. Yes, thoughts and narratives can have such a "hold". Tankyou for what you share 🦋

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Ooooh you're in Honduras. I loved Honduras. The people were so kind there and the COLORS. It was truly a sacred experience. We sat in the rainforest/cloud forest for hours just being still and watching.

Hummingbirds are just incredible. And one that comes regularly to your garden is such a gift!

A friend in my writing group share this essay, "Joyas Voladoras" just this past week. It's lovely and you might enjoy it! https://theamericanscholar.org/joyas-volardores/

thank you thank you for reading. :) ♥️🙏

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Melanie Williams de Amaya's avatar

Thank you Jocelyn. They are flying jewels indeed! How fascinating that we all have about two billion heart beats whether they are rapid or slow. Interestingly, the day I saw my first hummingbird, i had just left a monkey & sloth sanctuary where i had the opportunity to hug a sloth. Incredible gift. So one of life's slowest creatures and one of the fastest in the same day. Bith beautiful in their own way.

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Melanie Williams de Amaya's avatar

Oh dear, please read☆sharing

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Kendall Lamb's avatar

It is absolutely enough. I loved this peek into your life. And it's interesting- I've been reading about how fear is the the opposite of love (not hate, because hate is a byproduct of fear) and I've been excavating my own fear responses this week, trying to still the waters, so to speak. I loved your thoughts about that here- they were rich and nuanced and so timely. Thank you, friend. ❤️

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Hello Kendall-love, thank you! 100%. One of my mantras is more love is always the answer. And all the "negative" emotions: anger, rage, hate, despair, are just a form/expression of fear. We can always track those things back to something we are afraid of. And then love, well, love just opens us up over and over and over. xoxo

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Renae Rebechini's avatar

Beautiful! Keep going! Keep writing! Try another door!🚪

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Jocelyn Lovelle's avatar

Thank you, Renea! There is always another door to try, isn't there?

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