Driving down Golf Road next to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, and the sign on the corner advertised some guy doing a show called, “Permission to Speak.” So, naturally I thought of you, because, didn’t you create a course/workshop a few years ago called that? I’m pretty sure you did, and you sent me some of the lit/swag about it. So, anyway, because of that sign, I thought about you, and that exact phrase, and now I see incredibly insightful post about getting out there and owning your life in the world, presence in the human race, and I thought—Golly. Permission to speak. There it is again.
I don’t believe in god, or much in woo-woo (though, having been a chaplain and seeing some really weird shit around the deaths of others, it’s harder for me to totally let go of woo-woo). All the same, some random internally lit sign on the corner of Golf and Skokie gave me a message for you this afternoon. LaDonna, permission to speak is granted.
The world works in funny ways. I read this post the minute it appeared in my inbox (as I always do!) some ten days ago, but it's taken time, sitting at the top of my "things to think about", to respond. Then just minutes ago I received/read your next "Lets try this again, but differently" post, and had to return to re-read to the bottom of this post: "But also because *gestures around wildly* just look at the state of the world right now." The angst, the horror of the big world, of being a human, and on top of that the angst of being a parent. Words of thanks are totally inadequate, yet I cannot help but thank you for expressing and sharing your thoughts.
The first part of your newsletter/writing resonated with me. I grew up in a very active Lutheran family, was a Religion & Philosophy major in in college, married a Lutheran seminarian and was a “Pastor’s Wife” for 13 years, then divorced him. After six years of being single I met the love of my life who was not brought up in any organized religion. I struggled with what to do with my 40 years of church and religion...much of which I really didn’t believe (e.g. I declared to my Pastor on the eve of my confirmation that I really did not believe in Original Sin. That did not go well...).
I came across a book by Sue Monk Kidd titled “The Dance of the Dissident Daughter.” It’s the story of her journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine. It was a lifeline for me. I still keep a copy of it, 27 years after purchasing and reading it, on my bedside table.
The Introduction includes the following: “In these pages I’ve tried to tell you about the deep and immense journey a woman makes as she searches for and finds a feminine spirituality that affirms her life. It’s about the quest for the female soul, the missing Feminine Divine, and the wholeness women have lost within patriarchy. It’s also about the fear, anger, pain, questions, healing, transformation, bliss, power, and freedom that come with such journeys.”
Best wishes as we all continue on this journey we call living...may we all live our own truth....
I found you by following other blogs about the expat experience and often my posts on being in Portugal and experiencing certain things have resonated with your writing but you of course are so much more eloquent I really enjoy your writing and hope to meet you one day in person. Funny that I shared your post yesterday before I read this latest request. I wish you continued success and please keep writing so beautifully
Anybody who is a minority, women, Black people, or people of color, gay people, has been inundated over their lifetimes with the idea that they are less than, and that their individuality is to be hidden. In that way, they grant white people or men or the wealthy, or the establishment, the power that they have over them.
Your writing is so good that I have already shared it with 2 people.... looong time ago😆... will share more though.
I have spent many hour contemplating where my insecurity stems from. The church also came up as one of the pushers of you are not good enough. Maybe the church of my childhood wasn't quite as conservative but that same message came through loud and clear and sunk in! Funny how most religions go on about love....
There have been times in my social media life when I've felt neglected. I have shaken my proverbial fist at the sky, at God, at my Family and Friends. I have silently screamed into the wind, I took time to write these words, to put them down, and then I put myself out there. I exposed myself, put myself out on a limb. I showed you my soul. And what do I get. Nothing. And damn you all. I give freely. I give you likes for your non-original memes, your cuts and pastes. I give you affirmation, and you, you all (Family, Friends) you give me nothing. I put myself out there, and you give me - - - crickets. I have at times had an impulse to withdraw from the world, to keep my pretty words to myself. To bury my gold and to share it with none. But NO. I won't. People do listen. When we share, people take note. They may not give us credit, credit we deserve. There is something petty about (too many) people. But know that your words, my words, we who open and share. Our words, they matter. (Thank you for sharing your words LaDonna. Your words matter (to me). I hear you. I am listening. I appreciate Your Long Scrawl. Thank you.) - - - Scott
I have Shared your writings and will continue to Share them. So many resonate with me. I always look forward to your blog posts and your thoughts on Portugal, family, women, and the world in general. I will gladly up my sharing of your gifts with my friends and encourage them to do the same. I have the same issues with self-promotion, though it didn't come about in the same way (religion), so I am happy to be able to help you in this.
As usual, insightful and thoughtful. You continue to share commonalities many of us share about inside feelings!
Just did something I don't do often...shared you on FB ;-) I was hoping to keep you my "secret", but you deserve to be heard/shared ;-)
Best,
Glen
Driving down Golf Road next to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, and the sign on the corner advertised some guy doing a show called, “Permission to Speak.” So, naturally I thought of you, because, didn’t you create a course/workshop a few years ago called that? I’m pretty sure you did, and you sent me some of the lit/swag about it. So, anyway, because of that sign, I thought about you, and that exact phrase, and now I see incredibly insightful post about getting out there and owning your life in the world, presence in the human race, and I thought—Golly. Permission to speak. There it is again.
I don’t believe in god, or much in woo-woo (though, having been a chaplain and seeing some really weird shit around the deaths of others, it’s harder for me to totally let go of woo-woo). All the same, some random internally lit sign on the corner of Golf and Skokie gave me a message for you this afternoon. LaDonna, permission to speak is granted.
The world works in funny ways. I read this post the minute it appeared in my inbox (as I always do!) some ten days ago, but it's taken time, sitting at the top of my "things to think about", to respond. Then just minutes ago I received/read your next "Lets try this again, but differently" post, and had to return to re-read to the bottom of this post: "But also because *gestures around wildly* just look at the state of the world right now." The angst, the horror of the big world, of being a human, and on top of that the angst of being a parent. Words of thanks are totally inadequate, yet I cannot help but thank you for expressing and sharing your thoughts.
Thank you for another thoughtful post for perfect sinners. May your voice inspire others to find theirs and use it.
The first part of your newsletter/writing resonated with me. I grew up in a very active Lutheran family, was a Religion & Philosophy major in in college, married a Lutheran seminarian and was a “Pastor’s Wife” for 13 years, then divorced him. After six years of being single I met the love of my life who was not brought up in any organized religion. I struggled with what to do with my 40 years of church and religion...much of which I really didn’t believe (e.g. I declared to my Pastor on the eve of my confirmation that I really did not believe in Original Sin. That did not go well...).
I came across a book by Sue Monk Kidd titled “The Dance of the Dissident Daughter.” It’s the story of her journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine. It was a lifeline for me. I still keep a copy of it, 27 years after purchasing and reading it, on my bedside table.
The Introduction includes the following: “In these pages I’ve tried to tell you about the deep and immense journey a woman makes as she searches for and finds a feminine spirituality that affirms her life. It’s about the quest for the female soul, the missing Feminine Divine, and the wholeness women have lost within patriarchy. It’s also about the fear, anger, pain, questions, healing, transformation, bliss, power, and freedom that come with such journeys.”
Best wishes as we all continue on this journey we call living...may we all live our own truth....
I found you by following other blogs about the expat experience and often my posts on being in Portugal and experiencing certain things have resonated with your writing but you of course are so much more eloquent I really enjoy your writing and hope to meet you one day in person. Funny that I shared your post yesterday before I read this latest request. I wish you continued success and please keep writing so beautifully
I relate to much of what you wrote, especially about the negative conditioning we receive as women. Thank you for the raw honesty.
Anybody who is a minority, women, Black people, or people of color, gay people, has been inundated over their lifetimes with the idea that they are less than, and that their individuality is to be hidden. In that way, they grant white people or men or the wealthy, or the establishment, the power that they have over them.
Your writing is so good that I have already shared it with 2 people.... looong time ago😆... will share more though.
I have spent many hour contemplating where my insecurity stems from. The church also came up as one of the pushers of you are not good enough. Maybe the church of my childhood wasn't quite as conservative but that same message came through loud and clear and sunk in! Funny how most religions go on about love....
There have been times in my social media life when I've felt neglected. I have shaken my proverbial fist at the sky, at God, at my Family and Friends. I have silently screamed into the wind, I took time to write these words, to put them down, and then I put myself out there. I exposed myself, put myself out on a limb. I showed you my soul. And what do I get. Nothing. And damn you all. I give freely. I give you likes for your non-original memes, your cuts and pastes. I give you affirmation, and you, you all (Family, Friends) you give me nothing. I put myself out there, and you give me - - - crickets. I have at times had an impulse to withdraw from the world, to keep my pretty words to myself. To bury my gold and to share it with none. But NO. I won't. People do listen. When we share, people take note. They may not give us credit, credit we deserve. There is something petty about (too many) people. But know that your words, my words, we who open and share. Our words, they matter. (Thank you for sharing your words LaDonna. Your words matter (to me). I hear you. I am listening. I appreciate Your Long Scrawl. Thank you.) - - - Scott
I have Shared your writings and will continue to Share them. So many resonate with me. I always look forward to your blog posts and your thoughts on Portugal, family, women, and the world in general. I will gladly up my sharing of your gifts with my friends and encourage them to do the same. I have the same issues with self-promotion, though it didn't come about in the same way (religion), so I am happy to be able to help you in this.