writing

Be Like Abe: Don’t Walk Backward!

Published on by Kristi Holl

In elementary school, I admired Abraham Lincoln more than anyone I studied. I loved the drawing in my 35-cent paperback biography, showing young Abe lying flat on his stomach in front of the fireplace in his log cabin, reading a book.

He didn’t have the advantages others had, but he had grit.

A Long-Time Hero

That girl in the 1950s dreamed of someday seeing the Lincoln Memorial in person. Finally, in 2017, I had my chance on a trip to DC with family. (Pictured are granddaughters Elayna and Sophie, 6 and 4, and I had a cast on my broken hand.) 

Visiting the Lincoln Memorial was a dream come true for me. So last week, when I twice ran across the same famous Lincoln quote, I took note.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.” Since I had had a couple of years of feeling like I had gone backward in some areas of my life, his quote caught my attention.

A Man with True Grit

I knew enough about Lincoln’s life to know he’d overcome many failures and setbacks, yet he still claimed that he never walked backward. Really? Look at the many times Lincoln failed along the way to becoming our 16th President of the United States.

  • 1831: lost his job
  • 1832: defeated in run for legislature
  • 1833: failed in business
  • 1835: sweetheart died 
  • 1836: had nervous breakdown
  • 1838: defeated in run for House Speaker
  • 1843: defeated in run for congressional nomination
  • 1848: lost a re-nomination
  • 1849: rejected for land officer position
  • 1854: defeated in run for U.S. Senate 
  • 1856 defeated in run for nomination for U.S. vice president 
  • 1858: defeated again in run for U.S. Senate 
  • 1860: elected 16th U.S. President

How could Lincoln claim he never “walked backward”? Obviously, he did NOT mean that he never experienced setbacks. With every failure, he fell back and regrouped, studied the situation, and relentlessly moved forward again.

I’ve lived long enough to have experienced many setbacks of my own: in my health, in my writing career, in key relationships. But my many “Honest Abe” momentoes in my office remind me that it doesn’t matter how slow progress is at times. It’s only important that you and I (like Abe) refuse to walk backwards.

Books as Therapy

Published on by Kristi Holl

Today was quite a day, and every time I turned around, something else was winding me up. I give up.

I finally did what I had not done in a very long time. I chucked my to-do list in the garbage, found an Anne Tyler book (nobody writes great characters quite like Anne Tyler), turned off my phone and computer, and read a solid hour.

I haven’t done that in ages.

I truly had forgotten what good therapy great fiction is.

Holiday Highs and Lows

Published on by Kristi Holl

This holiday season has been full of the highest highs and the lowest lows. Photos below are of (1) the hardest event by far, my little brother, Dick, who passed away the week of Thanksgiving from leukemia, (2) my little Honda Fit that I totaled the week before Christmas by hitting a tree head-on, (3) candy cane cookie making with my daughters and granddaughters, (4) my granddaughters’ (ages 12 and 15) piano recital and (5) school Christmas play, (6) seeing the play of “White Christmas” in the Seguin historical theater with my girls and their daughters, (7) riding the Christmas train at the Train Museum—a yearly event, ( 8 ) and the gift exchange at our house that got a bit rowdy. (Tiny rubber chickens ended up stuck to the ceiling! Pictures at the end.)

Happy New Year to you all!

My brother, Dick, as a young dad…with wife, Gail, and kids Monica, Alex, and Maddie.

Dick before he was diagnosed with leukemia. He was one of the kindest people I knew.

My last visit with him about three weeks before he passed away.
A freak one-car accident connected me with the steering wheel first, and then when I hit the tree, the air bag deployed. It is truly a miracle from God that I walked away with no broken bones.
Ten wonderful people stopped to help me, and three strangers stayed with me throughout. My oldest granddaughter, Abby–whom I was supposed to pick up for lunch–came to get me and took me to the ER. Several EKGs and chest X-rays later, we still went for lunch! (Painkillers are wonderful! I saved most of them for the following Christmas events.)
My own little girls always loved making candy cane cookies, and now my granddaughters do.
A success! Left to right: Elayna (15), Jenny (my oldest), Jacqui (my youngest), and Sophie (12).
Getting ready for their Christmas recital!
Elayna (playing a beautiful arrangement of “O, Holy Night.”)
Sophie, playing a rousing rendition of “Joy to the World.”
Sophie in their school play–they did a 1940s-style radio entertainment–complete with sound effects, of several Christmas movie clips.
Elayna had multiple speaking parts and sound effects. This was such a fun play!
Ready for the stage performance of “White Christmas” at the Stephen & Mary Birch Texas Theatre in Seguin. Granddaughters are Sophie (12), Abby (23), and Elayna (15).
The theater was beautiful inside! (My daughters, Jacqui and Jenny.) By the way, my middle daughter, Laurel Holl, lives in Tucson, or she would be here too. We are all great “White Christmas” fans.
We’ve gone to the Texas Transportation Museum every year since the girls were babies. The lights are magical, and the Christmas train ride is so fun! Lots of music (bag pipers), tons of lights, outdoor miniature villages….
…getting our picture taken with Santa…
..indoor trains…(this is just one of MANY)
… passenger trains decked out with Christmas trees, holiday food and decor, sleeper rooms, and dining rooms.
We play lots of games before we unwrap gifts, and this year I included a game with some mini rubber chickens…
…which we used in a game with competitive teams…
…and by accident, one of the wayward chickens hit the ceiling…and stuck! With hysterical laughing and screeching, about thirty rubber chickens ended up on the ceiling…where they clung tightly!

Help in a Hurry for Writers

Published on by Kristi Holl

I bought a book the other day called 100 Prayers for Writers: Creative Fuel for Inspired Work by Bob Hostetler.

 

As I sat at my desk on this beautiful Labor Day morning, one short poetic prayer spoke to me.

Maybe it will speak to you too.

 

 

Against the Blank Page

Almighty God, I sit and stare,

a blank white screen

before me where

soon should be seen

the things I want to write.

 

It’s hard sometimes

to make a start

to fashion lines

to practice art

with what I want to write.

 

Help me rely on you

to move my mind

to push me through

until I find

the words I want to write.

(https://www.amazon.com/100-Prayers-Writers-Creative-Inspired/)

Spiral UP? Or spiral DOWN? Your choice!

Published on by Kristi Holl

For over a year, I’ve been dealing with three difficult circumstances that impacted everything, causing one downward spiral after another. Since I tend to handle things privately, I disappeared from social media. 

But last fall, I felt the urge to get back to thriving (if at all possible) instead of simply surviving.

Easy to say, but hard to do!

Self-Examination

I had picked up some escapist survival habits that were more engrained than I first believed. I had great intentions at the beginning of the day; however, failure to follow through happened with regularity (like many times daily). One or two poor choices flipped me into that excuse of “I’ve ruined today, so I’ll start again tomorrow.”

I don’t think I’ve had a perfect day yet where I made good eating choices, writing choices, and relationship choices without fail. And my lightning quick brain finally realized perfection wasn’t EVER going to be possible. Not this side of heaven anyway. But I finally learned something critical that improved every area that needed healing:

Every poor choice is the beginning of a spiral. Like a circular staircase, you can either spiral up or down. You always have two options, and you get to choose.”

Spiral Down Fast

Each day contains at least one poor choice we make. (Often it is several.) A poor choice is one that doesn’t fit your goals. It could be a writing goal, a health goal, a time management goal, or a relationship goal.

A poor choice could be

  • scrolling social media during your writing time,
  • eating two sugary donuts,
  • binge watching TV till midnight, or
  • snapping at your child.

Your first poor choice is your critical choice moment. 

You can make a poor choice and SPIRAL DOWNWARD FAST. Imagine yourself at the top of this twisty slide. One push, and down you go, around and around until you hit bottom.

Practically speaking, what might that look like?

  • You can decide that the day is already ruined when you eat a donut for breakfast. So, you eat junk food and sugar bombs the rest of the day.
  • You feel guilty, so you add binge watching a favorite TV series until you are blotto.
  • You put away your manuscript again to tend to your headache, and
  • give the obstinate child the silent treatment for good measure.

Choice #2: Spiral Up (Slowly but Steadily)

On the other hand, you can make THE VERY SAME POOR CHOICE, then decide to SPIRAL UP SLOWLY, STEP BY TINY STEP, instead. 

You can stop the downward trajectory immediately by taking a small step UP.

  • After your donut, you might brush your teeth or plan a healthy lunch.
  • You might close all the live streaming tabs on your laptop.
  • You might turn to where you left off during your last writing session and re-read the page.
  • You might apologize to the child and hold her on your lap for a minute.
  • You might take a slow, five-minute walk to interrupt your negative thinking.

Continual Choices

Yes, the upward spiral is a slower path, but it’s a steady path of growth. The steps up don’t have to be big at all. And you can take lots of pauses to refresh with a stretch or walk around the yard or enjoy some planned treat with a favorite book.

The downward spiral that comes with several poor choices is a slippery, speedy easy path that comes with a hard landing. But even then, it’s not all over.

Pick yourself up at the bottom of the slide. Choose the upward spiral staircase right away, and just focus on the smallest step right in front of you. And after a pause, when you’re ready, take another step up. And eventually another. 

Every single poor choice throughout your week is just the beginning of a spiral. But whether you spiral up or down is entirely up to you. It really is. Pause. Relax. Breathe deeply. (And if you’re like me, pray for help.)

REMEMBER: the poor choice is the first step in both sequences. The direction (of your day, your week, and ultimately your life) is your CHOICE.

 

At home with C. S. Lewis…in Oxford!

Published on by Kristi Holl
Jack’s desk upstairs

Last week I got to fulfill a big dream of mine by attending a week-long summer seminar at The Kilns, the home of C. S. Lewis just outside of Oxford in the UK. There were 14 students, and we were together from breakfast till late every night, learning about Jack, his life, his family, his books, his ministries, his war years, his impact on the Christian world…

Our group: 14 students, 2 teachers, our driver, and two guests (ages 96 and 100) who both knew C.S. Lewis personally and told the BEST stories!

Our two teachers were excellent, and the discussions were fascinating (whether at the Kilns, or on walks around Oxford and Cambridge where Jack taught, or on paths by the river, or in pubs for great food or the gardens outside having tea, or after worshipping in Jack’s church, or visiting his grave–as well as Tolkien’s and Churchill’s…)

Well, I can’t describe the magic. It was eight full days of being with kindred souls, and sometimes you felt you JUST MIGHT meet C.S. Lewis coming down the stairs, or sitting in his favorite “smoke a pipe” spot by his pond, or fixing a “cuppa” (tea) in the kitchen, or writing at his smaller upstairs desk. I took hundreds of photos, but here are a few.
Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met!
common room
Looking out on the garden from common room
Side door; stairs above me go up to Jack’s bedroom.
Tea or supper in the garden was heavenly. So many flowers blooming everywhere…and no mosquitoes! Doors and windows were left open with no screens!
Jack’s and Warnie’s (older brother Warren) grave. (I saw graves with up to 7 people buried in one spot.)
The “Narnia window” in the church Jack attended. We worshipped there on Sunday. Lovely service.
Magdalen (pronounced Maud-lun) College at Oxford, where Jack taught. His rooms were on the second floor in the middle.
Chapel at Oxford University
College rooms at Oxford
Famous icon in Oxford if you watch Masterpiece Theater on PBS. “Morse,” “Lewis,” and “Endeavor” were all set here.
Central Oxford
Chapel at Magdalen College
Dining hall at Oxford
One of my favorite pubs…all those books!
Another great pub…many of the pubs had outdoor areas to linger and talk.
Churchill’s favorite pub

 

Outside Churchill’s parish church
After Oxford, Jack taught at Cambridge University (Magdalene College).
Cambridge classrooms
Cambridge chapel
Inspiration for “The Hobbit”
Punts on the river were flat-bottomed boats propelled along very quietly by someone with a long pole.
A Cambridge church over 1,000 years old!
Many swans throughout the UK. For seventy years, they were “The Queen’s Swans.” Now they belong to the King, and you do NOT touch!
A “crazy American” built this (according to a shopkeeper.) So glad America contributed to Oxford’s culture..ha!

Stop Adding, and Try Subtracting!

Published on by Kristi Holl

I woke up feeling sick today, and it is my own fault. I ate both gluten and sugar yesterday, and a lot of it, which is a no-no if I want to feel well.

My writing to-do list was daunting, and while I wanted to make great strides ahead today, I just didn’t have the oomph. 

Then I remembered something my favorite habits guy, James Clear, said in his article, To Make Big Gains, Avoid Tiny Losses.”

In many cases, improvement is not about doing more things right, but about doing less things wrong… Improvement by addition is focused on doing more of what does work. Improvement by subtraction is focused on doing less of what doesn’t work.

Best Choice Today!

I’m too “under the weather” today to improve by ADDING more to my plate: not write faster, or write a longer period of time, or read a productivity book. Today I’m going to improve by SUBTRACTING things that don’t work: poor food choices, binge watching a show, and checking email every five minutes. Can I really make writing improvements that way?

[UPDATE LATER: I didn’t add various strategies in order to write more today. I simply subtracted (1) my poor food choices, (2) the presence of my phone for two hours, and (3) closed all social media tabs for the morning. And despite feeling rather rotten physically, I wrote more this morning than I have all week. Thank you, James Clear, for reminding me that there are  two paths to improvement.

Audio Day 8, May 16, England

Published on by Kristi Holl Leave a comment

Day 8, May 16, England: Fun day today! My writing morning flew by, and this afternoon I had tea and scones at a museum coffee house with another writer friend, Sarah Lister. We met at The Folly, a café within the museum. I’m attending her school presentation tomorrow at the local church graveyard.

Those kids are in for a treat!

Best gluten-free scone ever!

Sarah’s latest two books. She has been my best source of material for Book 2 in my work-in-slow-progress trilogy.

Delightful and so very funny, Sarah Lister!

 

 

 

Day 7, May 15, England

Published on by Kristi Holl

I did more writing than walking today.

However, even on short walks, there are things to see!

 

(Delicate purple flowers growing out of the drystone wall)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yum! If I were home, I’d make a little pie.

White lilac (more a tree than a bush), but oh! the scent!

a toy store decked out for last week’s coronation, complete with a photo op golden carriage at the bottom and the royal family at the upper window

I will never, ever, ever get tired of this view!

 

 

 

Day 5, May 13, England

Published on by Kristi Holl
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I walked to the train station this afternoon. It was 65 and sunny, and I never saw so many people walking around with ice cream cones.

A steam train was scheduled to pass through (but not stop) about 4:00.  Here are the train station, the stationmaster’s house, the old water tower and coal house (for use back when steam engines were prevalent), and the Settle signal box, which is now a fascinating museum. Enjoy!