Cursive Writing…

Why? Why!? Why is our culture turning its back on this art form? 

I don’t understand it!

I love the feel of a fine pen moving across the paper as it captures my mind’s thoughts and transforms them. It’s a very satisfying feeling. It opens the imagination.

I’m not talking about the scribbled shopping list, or the messy reminder on the post-it note that was written in a hurry. I’m talking about true thoughts put to paper, perhaps in a journal that you use each day. Your family will cherish the thoughts you shared in your journal someday. They show children and grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) a side of you they may never have known, your history, your growth, your life. Every person I know who has inherited a set of journals has been extremely grateful for the memories encased within those sheets of paper.

As a writer, I have many different pens and various types of paper. Finding the right combination for the project I am working on is important to me. When the pen flows freely, so do the character’s thoughts, the scenes, the plot twists. Yes, it can get messy. There is a lot of editing going on as I write. Many strike-throughs, a lot of words crammed in between lines, and related ideas squished into the margins for another chapter. Taking the time to do this – in cursive – brings the pages to life for me, and allows me to create in written form what I have imagined so I can share it with others. There is power in it.

Why is there power in it? The act of physically writing things down on paper is associated with more robust brain activity in multiple areas and better memory recall. Yes, there is science behind this, and personal satisfaction.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210319080820.htm 

I frequently ask my grandchildren if they are learning cursive writing at school and it seems a bit hit and miss. I keep telling them that any note I leave for them will always be written in cursive. It will be my secret code, and if they can’t read it, they just might miss out on something special. After all, how many hieroglyphics and symbols are considered “dead” languages because people can’t decipher them? Yes, maybe it is just a receipt on that ancient clay tablet, but what if it’s directions to something incredible? We won’t know until we learn the secret code. Let’s make it simple for future archaeologists! Keep cursive writing alive!

contributed by Melody Lowe

November is National Gratitude Month

As I think about gratitude, and how it has affected my life, I reach back and consider all those people who have made a positive difference in my life, and that have made contributions that are inestimable. The impact and influence they have had on my life are permanently embedded, as I remember these people who showed humility and vulnerability in their leadership.

More than anything, I know that no one is perfect. I have been guilty of putting some people on a pedestal and thinking that they could do no wrong, whether it was their athletic prowess, perceived wealth and influence, or their intellectual gifts. The people that I have encountered in my life with the most positive influence were also those who seemed the humblest.

Humble does not mean weak or mild-mannered. Far from it. Humble people are gracious. They show how important all of the people are in the room. They go first. They call you by name and ask you about family and your friends, and know your concerns. They build lasting relationships because they want to know what’s in it for those around them, not what’s in it for themselves. When a task is given, they don’t act like they have to do it, they get to do it. For there is a time and place when we cross the line or encounter a physical or mental inability to contribute to others lives anymore because we are no longer able. Our mind may be willing, or we wish we could help, but the body can no longer take it. Maybe the mind may is suffering from some form of dementia or setback, and we can no longer confidently participate.

This month I am grateful for the humble leaders I have been privileged to encounter throughout my life so far. Do you remember a teacher along the way who shared with you that you never fail unless you give up? Or the business leader you worked with that displayed keen interest in you when you felt like a failure? He or she went through the same struggles or frustrations that you did. Or finally, the story teller who took you to a time or place that they had been, and the players and characters they talked about, and what an impression it made on you, to inspire and make the most of your life.

Everything I have and everything I am, is a gift from God, and a result of other people’s contributions to my life. I am eternally grateful for the humble people in my life.

 Contributed by Bob Kramer