tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87611303273183373872024-02-14T15:53:03.541-05:00the cwtchOlivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.comBlogger346125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-23639010060117147692018-07-19T10:24:00.001-04:002018-07-19T10:24:12.184-04:00I'm writing a book! (week 1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you've been around the blog for even just a few months, you'll probably know that I am head over heels in love with the art of writing. I love poetry, short stories (although I'm not terribly good at them) and most of all, I adore writing books.<br />
There's been a significant amount of radio silence around here over the past month and a half, partially because I had an exam at the end of June that I was busy studying for, and partially because I've been picking up speed on a few writing projects ... I've been writing and sending queries out for <i>Seeing Voices</i>, and <b>plotting and planning for a new novel</b>. This one doesn't have a title yet, but the finishing details for my outline kind of fell into my lap by accident a few weeks ago, and when I found myself with enough detail to actually write the book (!) I decided to go ahead and do it. My goal is to have a rough draft all finished up before I have to go back to school and my free time drops to approximately 0.<br />
<br />
Stats from week 1:<br />
word count: 22,700 words out of an estimated 70-80,000 (that means I'm more than 1/4 the way there!)<br />
chapters completed: 3.5 out of around 13<br />
hours spent writing: 21? (that's a rough guess)<br />
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For those of you who may be curious, <b>this book is about high school students, dogs, anxiety, friendships, first love, and puzzling out faith in God.</b> One of my favourite characters is a Golden Retriever named Chica, and one of the characters I keep getting irritated with (before I remind myself to be mindful of the many different perspectives that make up a story) is an 11th grade student named Emma.<br />
This is my first time writing a small amount of romance, which is terrifying (romances in books can go so wrong so fast) but also really fun (I am dying of cuteness and they haven't even held hands yet).<br />
My main character's name is Darcy, and when I first started developing her character last summer, she was supposed to be a university student who loved astronomy and shared a house with three other girls. So far, stars haven't even been mentioned, she's turned into a high school student who lives at home, and one of the three other girls got cut completely from the plotline (the other two survived, but in very different roles than originally planned). <br />
<br />
Week one has been exhilarating, hilarious, exhausting, and fun. <b>Writing another book makes me feel like I am alive in a way that I haven't been in years.</b> During first year university, I was so overwhelmed with the new workload (and a new job) that I put all recreational writing aside. I even thought sadly to myself that I would probably never write another book, that writing was something I did as a kid, when I had time. Just a silly fun hobby.<br />
<br />
IT ALMOST KILLED MY SOUL. First year was really hard, and stressful, and made me feel worn out and gray and flat, like I was going through the motions for no reason at all. By the time I was finished, I had no ideas, no inspiration, and no desire to write again because I was so tired. I remember trying to make decisions about my job, my schooling (part time? Full time? Schedules and hours and calculating finances into the future) and just <b>ending up in tears because I wanted to write so badly it ached. </b><br />
<br />
That was a huge turning point for me and ended up with me making the <b>scary decision to cut back on my work hours</b> for no other reason than I wanted more time to write. It hasn't always been easy (writing is actually really really hard work 99% of the time) but taking myself seriously, writing query letters, and planning outlines for new books makes me feel like my world has popped back into bright, vibrant colour. <br />
<br />
So, after week one of my newest novel project, that's where I'm sitting. I'm tired, but thrilled. I can't believe how close I was to giving up on this altogether ... and <b>I am so speechlessly thankful that I didn't.</b> I'm putting my head down as we make our way into week two, ready to churn out another few chapters (right in the midst of full days of our church camp! ahh!)<br />
<br />
<i>What do you love so much that it makes your world come alive? Have you ever had to put it aside for a time? HOW DID YOU COPE?!?!?</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-79812608146761059612018-05-28T07:57:00.001-04:002018-05-28T07:57:47.389-04:003 ways to deal with WAITING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I feel as though I am always waiting for something.<br />
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Waiting to finish school, waiting for the next life stage, waiting to finish my book... I even spend a lot of time waiting for the weekend!<br />
<br />
<i>Look! for <b>most of the world</b></i><br />
<b><i>is waiting</i></b><br />
<b><i>or remembering</i></b><br />
<i>Most of the world is <b>time</b></i><br />
<b><i>when we're not here,</i></b><br />
<i>not born yet, or died - </i><br />
<i>a slow fire </i><br />
<i>under the earth ...</i><br />
<br />
Mary Oliver* says that most of the world is waiting or remembering, longing for the past or hoping for the future. I am stuck in that trap just as much as anyone, but I don't want to be. There are beautiful things present Here, in my everyday life, little pieces of something sacred that I so often just miss altogether.<br />
I think that <b>wishing for the past or the future is a refusal to acknowledge everything that God is doing right now.</b> I want to stop living so desperately, so stressed... if I think too far in the future, it rules my present life, too. So, without further ado ... my <b>top 3 strategies for living a life rooted in the present!</b><br />
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<br />
1. NARROW YOUR FOCUS<br />
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Make a to-do list for the next 24 hours, and stick only to the things on that list. (It doesn't have to be written down or legalistic ... more the idea of only thinking about things that immediately need your attention.) <b>Refuse to spend time worrying or planning for events that are far in the future and turn your attention to what is happening right NOW</b>.<br />
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2. GET EXCITED TODAY<br />
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Find something worth getting excited about that is happening now! Plan a little adventure - do something you like (even if it's just buying yourself a coffee). When I'm waiting for something that is still some time away, it can make my daily life feel like filler ... very bland. Looking for ways to remind myself that <b>all time is special and beautiful</b> (and fun!) can help me to stay rooted in what's going on TODAY.<br />
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3. BE THANKFUL<br />
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Notice the good things that are going on around you! Don't let yourself get stuck in the "remember when ____" mentality (or the "I can't wait for ___") and <b>remind yourself to be thankful for the way your life looks this year!</b> Yes, I would love to be graduated and in a career and have 50 books published, but there are already so many good things in my life - so many dreams already coming true - and I'm trying harder to be thankful for those, instead of just looking at what I might be thankful for LATER.<br />
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<i>How good are you at waiting for things? What strategies do you use to stay focused on the present?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia</i><br />
<br />
*(in her poem "Hummingbird Pauses at the Trumpet Vine")<br />
<br /></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-64977878263888062912018-05-14T14:01:00.003-04:002018-05-14T14:01:57.345-04:00things that make me happy // 676-696<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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676. watching gilmore girls when it's raining <br />
677. Starbucks all day, every day<br />
678. going out for dinner before youth with my small group<br />
679. sunshine and playing volleyball in the park after work<br />
680. wearing dresses on warm spring days<br />
681. when my pupper gets a haircut<br />
682. playing ball under the streetlights at youth<br />
683. making dinner - especially if it includes shrimp and asparagus (but you'll already know this if you're following me on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/oliviamsmit/"> instagram</a>)<br />
684. driving fast down long country roads<br />
685. long walks on warm mornings (wearing a DRESS FINALLY)<br />
686. walking the same route I used to take home from high school and remembering what it was like to be in grade 11<br />
687. reminiscing (what is it about spring that makes me so nostalgic?)<br />
688. friendly starbucks baristas (I basically live here now)<br />
689. birthdays (I'm finally 21!!!)<br />
690. when my boyfriend takes pictures of me and I actually like some of them (a rare but very fun occurrence)<br />
691. experimenting with the spices in my biscuit recipe and having it WORK when I totally thought I'd ruined them<br />
692. writing query letters (even though it's terrifying)<br />
693. coffee shop dates+city explorations<br />
694. weekend retreats with our Jr. High group!<br />
695. early morning devotions before breakfast in the chapel<br />
696. jumping up and down with the grade 6 girls during worship<br />
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<i>What's on your happy list this month? Do tell!</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-26155848110749462902018-05-07T09:07:00.001-04:002018-05-07T09:07:16.765-04:00query letters and discouragement <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Lately, I've been writing query letters. It's been a little bit of a
thrill, putting the names of actual real-life agents and publishing
houses before my one-paragraph pitch ... but it's also terrifying. <b>When
the book is just a concept, or a rough draft, you can dream big, because
there's no one there to stop you.</b> Writing query letters is the first
step to realizing my dream of getting published, but it's also a
reminder that soon, I'll be opening myself up to reality; the reality
being that most of the people who read my one-paragraph pitch are going
to say no. Some of them won't reply at all. And if you think about that
too long, it's easy to get discouraged.</div>
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I spend so much time trying to fight back against people who think I can't do this ... even though I haven't sent out a single query letter out yet, I try to talk about my book like it's my job, partially because I hope that some day it is, and partially because I am trying so hard to make people understand how important this is to me. <b>I try to hold my own work with as much respect as I'd like to receive from others,</b> but it doesn't always work out the way I'd like it to. A lot of people think that it's a bit of a joke, a fad, maybe a hobby or a stage or something that I'll grow out of once I hit the real world.<br />
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And it stings. It's not easy to take the teasing of others when it's so clear that they don't understand that they're poking at a particularly fragile piece of who I am. It makes me feel like I have something to prove, like I want to work twice as hard to publish <i>Seeing Voices</i> just to show people that I did it, after all. But I don't want it to be like that. <b>I don't want to go down the publishing road because I have something to prove ... I don't want to get this book published for someone else.</b> I want to do it for myself - and out of a desire to share this story that I love with others.<br />
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I don't want to turn around, years in the future, and realize that I put so much work into this just to impress people who didn't understand. I want to let them go, right now - stop caring about what they think and keep working hard because I believe in this book ... because <b>I think this is worth something. </b><br />
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So, I'll keep writing query letters. Someday soon I'll send them away, and at first, all I'll get back are rejections. But I'm going to keep going ... and even if it doesn't work this time, I'm going to write another book, and someday, I'll be sending off query letters for that one, too. The point is,<b> I'm going to keep writing</b> - because I love it, and because I don't do it to win success or brownie points or impress people. I'm doing this because I think it's important, full stop. And I'm not going to let a few days of discouragement hold me back.<br />
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<i>What is important to you? What are you willing to fight for even when other people don't understand? Please share!</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-67400522014315617372018-04-16T09:28:00.000-04:002018-04-16T09:28:57.747-04:00pancakes for exam season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's a short post today, due to the fact that I have two exams this week and will be spending most of today studying!!<br />
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My area of Canada has been hit with an ice storm (in April!! wah!!) and it was so bad yesterday that most of the churches in town were cancelled, which meant my family suddenly had a free, unplanned day! I just realized I could have spent that time studying, but instead, I made these sweet potato pancakes for lunch ... and I'm not even mad about it. (yet. maybe when the last-minute stress sets in I will regret everything ... we'll see.)<br />
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I used <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/36168/louisiana-sweet-potato-pancakes/">this recipe</a> from Allrecipes.com, but made a few changes (noted below) before putting the pancakes on the griddle!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3/4 pound sweet
potatoes</div>
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<i>(I just use 1 large sweet potato and hope for the best)</i> </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 1/2 teaspoons
baking powder</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 teaspoon salt </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1/2 teaspoon
ground nutmeg</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 eggs, beaten</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 1/2 cups milk</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1/4 cup butter,
melted</div>
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<i>1 tsp cinnamon</i></div>
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<i> 1 tsp vanilla </i></div>
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<i> (yesterday, I also added an extra 1/2 tsp nutmeg by mistake, and they tasted just as good!)</i></div>
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Directions:</div>
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<i> </i>1. Peel and cut your sweet potato before placing it in a pot of boiling water. Leave on heat until potato is soft - then drain and mash.</div>
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<i> </i>2. Sift together dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients (sweet potato, eggs, milk, vanilla, butter) in another. Gradually add wet to dry to make a batter (do not overmix).</div>
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3. Scoop batter onto pre-heated and oiled pan. Flip when the middle begins to bubble (I find if you flip when just the edges bubble, it's too early ... but that could just be my pan). </div>
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This is a quick and easy recipe that only makes about 12 pancakes (so you won't be<i> </i>standing at the stove all afternoon) and my new favourite way to take a study break. Let me know if you try it - and what changes you make! I'm always up for a little experimentation. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>How do you cope with exams? What are your favourite study snacks?</i></div>
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<i>xx,</i></div>
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<i>Olivia </i> </div>
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Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-27376751951609423992018-04-09T09:12:00.000-04:002018-04-09T09:12:33.616-04:00when it's still snowing in April<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When it's still snowing in April and we're all just tired of it, I find it so easy to start connecting my happiness to the weather. In January, I expect snow, so when I wake up to another blizzard, I shrug my shoulders and roll with it.<br />
<br />
In April? I start feeling like sunny days are my birthright, like if I have to live through one more day of snowfall something inside me is going to snap, and while it's true that warmer weather is just around the corner (right?) I don't particularly like living in slavery to sunshine.<br />
<br />
So, in the absence of a spring breeze or two, here are my best coping methods/ways of finding joy even when it's freezing outside.<br />
<br />
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<b>1. Make plans </b><br />
Sometimes this means meeting people at Starbucks! Going thrift shopping on Saturday morning! Making lunch at a friend's house! Or, if you prefer something a little more peaceful, a quiet night in (with chocolate!!!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>2. Listen to music while doing homework</b><br />
(Especially the worship kind). I really like Housefires (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYMjO9mL0Tw">Build My Life</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKVHGi1iRLE">Come to the River</a>) lately, but I also enjoy some of the spontaneous worship by Bethel (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6_BLuhr0HQ">King of My Heart</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c--TCjHR01M">Do It Again/Yes and Amen</a>).<br />
<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>3. Read a book!</b><br />
If you're not a bookworm, maybe this isn't quite as helpful for you? But for me, escaping into a fictional world is exciting and fun and it gives me something to look forward to at the end of a long day. Currently I'm in the middle of the <a href="https://www.victoriaaveyard.com/red-queen-series/">Red Queen series</a> (it's kind of like a cross between the Hunger Games and Divergent, so some elements are very familiar, but I'm really enjoying it!) and the arc of <a href="https://kaemmons.com/">Worlds Beneath</a> (which is not only an enjoyable read but leaves me thinking long after I put it down!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>4. Walk as much as you can</b><br />
Especially on the sunny days! I usually try to walk as much as I can on campus, to snatch any sunlight I can get, but also because I'm much less fidgety in class (or at work) if I've walked for a bit first!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>5. Stretch when you wake up</b><br />
Any combination of deep breathing and stretching is great, even if it's just touching your toes for a few seconds after getting up!! If I don't stretch, around 11am I start to feel tense and irritable, but even five minutes to get the kinks out of my neck will last me almost all day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>What are your best coping strategies for such out-of-season weather? PLEASE SHARE!!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia</i><br />
<b> </b><br />
<br /></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-29440101577469611152018-04-02T15:31:00.000-04:002018-04-02T15:31:23.286-04:00what I'm thankful for this Easter Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This Easter, things were different.<br />
<br />
I bounced into church for all three of our Easter services with more energy than I've had in months, sang so loudly I almost lost my voice, and said everything at double-speed (until eventually I wore myself out and fell asleep on the couch on Sunday afternoon).<br />
<br />
It was a bit of a whirlwind, but not as random as perhaps it sounds, because this year, I learned what it was to be a sinner. I have always been a sinner, and I knew that, but <b>as a child, I had no understanding of what that meant.</b> I knew I did bad things - but I also knew that a lot of people did a lot of worse things, and so it seemed to me that I was doing okay, and Jesus probably had a lot of other people to save and worry about, and he probably didn't pay that much attention to me.<br />
<br />
This year, for a couple of reasons, I found myself <b>confronted with my own sin </b>in a new way. I'd make a mistake, and then I'd try to fix it, or go over it in my head until I'd rationalized it to the point where it wasn't that bad, or I didn't really mess up, or they didn't even notice, or whatever - and sometimes this worked! I'd figure that it was an honest mistake, and no one cared, and it was all good. And sometimes it was, but most often I'd get stuck, knowing that I had made a mistake but not knowing how to move on.<br />
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<br />
The lyrics to the song "Known" by Tauren Wells hit me real hard in the airport between Iceland and Canada, because he describes the process like this:<br />
<br />
<i>I'm fully known and loved by you</i><br />
<i>You won't let go, no matter what I do</i><br />
<i>It's not one or the other - <b>it's hard truth AND ridiculous grace</b></i><br />
<i>To be known, fully known, and loved by you.</i><br />
<br />
I'd been stuck at the "hard truth" side of things, convicted by the true fact that I mess up! I make mistakes! I am not a good person! But I hadn't understood that the grace of God does not operate INDEPENDENT of our sin. Jesus doesn't swoop in and go "woo! Grace exists!" and ignore our sin completely. He walks into the room and says "well, that's sin. you messed up. But you know what?<b> I want you anyway,</b> so I'm going to detach you from your sin. It's still sin - it's still bad - but it's no longer ATTACHED to you, because this grace is ridiculous and doesn't make sense and that's just how it is."<br />
<i> </i><br />
I kept trying to fix my mistakes on my own before coming to Jesus - I wanted to come to him good, so he'd be pleased with me, but I didn't realize that <b>I can't make myself good on my own.</b> I have to come to Jesus in full acknowledgement of my mistakes, and then I have to accept that He's the only one who can take them away. And once they're gone - they're just gone.<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>You can't understand what it is to be free until you know what it feels like to be a slave,</b> and over the past few years I have known what it is to be in bondage. But because of that - because I was so conscious of my own mistakes - grace seemed sweeter and more outrageous this year than it ever had before.<br />
<br />
Easter came at the perfect time: right as I was processing the <b>dichotomy between sin and grace, </b>my mistakes and Jesus's forgiveness, right as I was reminded of how many times GRACE has been a theme this year, how hard I have had to fight to hold onto freedom and not be dragged back into the familiar chains of guilt and sin, Easter snuck up on me and everything fell into place.<br />
<br />
Understanding grace has been a process (some of which I documented on instagram, which you might have recognized as you were reading this post), and this weekend is not the first time I have been overcome with thankfulness ... but it was <b>another piece of the puzzle, </b>another reminder of why Jesus's death was so important, and I just ... I barely have words.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>What are you reflecting on this Easter? How has God's grace been revealed to you this Resurrection weekend?</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-88363454629767003732018-03-26T10:56:00.000-04:002018-03-26T10:56:59.612-04:00why I'm STILL writing the same book 3 years later ... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In the spring of 2014, I had an idea.<br />
<br />
I'd finished writing my first full-length novel a few years before, and hadn't really worked on a substantial project since then, so when the names "Skylar" and "Mike" popped into my head, I grabbed onto them and held on with both hands. <i>I will write another book this year!</i> I thought to myself while guarding a the wading pool that summer. <i>I will have the entire outline done in a few months!</i> I declared, <i>and it will be published within two years!</i><br />
<br /><i></i>
Needless to say, that did NOT happen. I couldn't think of any kind of plotline for the rest of 2014 - not one. I was stuck developing the characters, thinking about the nuances of their personalities, but unable to proceed with outlining because I just couldn't think of anything worth actually writing about.<br />
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<br />
<br /><i></i>
Fast forward to 2015, when some sort of idea occurred to me, I outlined in a rush, and sat down and churned out 50,000 words during November (anyone ever heard of NaNoWriMo?) I was elated! Ecstatic! The book was finally done! It was great! It barely even needed editing! So I gave it to my sister, and she read it ... sloowwwwly ... much more slowly than she had ever read a book before.<br />
<br /><i></i>
<b>And I knew that the book wasn't done yet. </b><br />
<br /><i></i>
So, in a series of edits that I blogged about (<i><a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/2016/04/the-editing-journey-taking-notes.html">editing, part 1</a>, <a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/2016/05/the-editing-journey-shuffling-deck.html?m=0">editing, part 2</a>, and <a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/search?updated-max=2016-05-19T13:39:00-04:00&max-results=7&reverse-paginate=true">editing, part 3</a></i>), I sat down and read through the book, ruthlessly noting any scenes that were boring or didn't make sense, and by the time I had finished, I'd decided that about 50% of the book needed to be deleted. Gradually, I made lists and timelines and notes upon notes upon notes, until I was confident that I had a strong NEW vision - I had enough content to fill the book back up to 100% when I was done cutting.<br />
<br /><i></i>
<b>It was a whirlwind of a process,</b> one I can't really remember unless I go back and read my own blog posts from those months. But at the end, I emerged with a book - again - and this one was better.<br />
<br /><i></i>
This brings us to 2017, when I was in school, and working, and desperately, painfully busy (too busy, actually, which is why in 2018 I made some changes and carved out a little breathing room in my schedule). Nothing much happened to the book in 2017, except that I TRIED to edit, stole hours here and there and combed through the chapters again, changed things, added dialogue, and asked my sister to read it again (I think she's read the book, in all of its versions, like 4 times? She's a saint).<br />
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<br />
<br /><i></i>
But this year has been different. After writing and re-writing and polishing and editing for what felt like years (because, actually it was years. ha.) I still REALLY liked this book.<b> It still felt like a piece of my heart,</b> it still had the ability to make me laugh out loud, or tear up, and there were still chapters that I didn't like to read because they made me feel things I didn't want to feel ... and most importantly, I wasn't bored of it yet.<br />
<br /><i></i>
I'm not sure when I stopped looking at it like a hobby and started thinking about trying to get published - taking myself more seriously than I ever had before - but a big motivator behind taking time off this year has been my desire to commit to this book and put a little work into the idea of trying to get published. <br />
<br /><i></i>
So 2018 has looked like a little less writing and a lot more research - I'm letting a few more people see the book, sending it away over email and trying not to think about other people reading it and maybe not liking it (WELP), and in my spare time, instead of writing, I'm searching for literary agents and publishing houses, drafting blog posts and trying to find contests to enter (did you know authors are supposed to have publishing history and qualifications even before they get published for the <i>first</i> time? HOW), and it's exciting! And tiring! And terrifying! <b>And sometimes it feels like this goal is too big</b> (and sometimes I'm convinced I'm going to get published tomorrow, which is worse, because that is SO not how this business works).<br />
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It's a lot more complicated - and a lot more work - than I expected, but even though I spend most of the time terrified, I really really love it. I always swore <b>I would never write for a career, never try to be published, because I wanted my books to be MINE, but now I'm just so in love that I can't keep quiet about it. </b>I love writing books - and editing books - and so far, trying to publish books (although, really, I'm just half a baby step down this path, so far).<br />
<br /><i></i>
So, in short, this is what I do. This is how I do it. And this is why I am crazy enough to spend years on the same book, (and why I'm not sick of it yet!!)<br />
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<br />
Here's my question to you - what do YOU love? ♥<br />
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<br />
<br />
<i>If you're curious about what it was like to write an entire novel in a month, I have good news for you!! I captured the pain+joy in weekly recaps which you can find here! (<a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/2015/11/nano-week-1-recap.html">1</a>, <a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/2015/11/nano-week-2-recap.html">2</a>, <a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/2015/11/nano-week-3-recap.html">3</a>, <a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/2015/11/nano-week-4-recap.html">4</a>) But first, you should read a little about what NaNoWriMo is (<a href="http://thecwtch.blogspot.ca/2015/10/my-nanowrimo.html">here</a>) </i><br />
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<i>If you want a little more concrete information on what editing literally looks like, don't forget to check out the links I shared above!</i><br />
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<i>MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL,</i><br />
<i>Olivia</i><br />
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Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-40743905153007869002018-03-19T11:03:00.000-04:002018-03-19T11:03:23.874-04:00things that make me happy // 660-675<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>660. returning to this space after like six million years (aka three months) of not posting</i><br />
<i>661. the colour of the light in my living room when it's a sunny morning</i><br />
<i>662. <a href="https://www.healthy-liv.com/healthy-no-bake-brownies-chocolate-ganache/">these</a> wildly decadent and delicious chocolate brownies with NO SUGAR ADDED </i><br />
<i>663. thrift shopping on Sunday afternoons with my sister</i><br />
<i>664. anything that is minty in colour</i><br />
<i>665. the smell of coffee at absolutely anytime</i><br />
<i>666. train rides and holding hands on the streets of Toronto</i><br />
<i>667. art galleries</i><br />
<i>668. my puppy's leg healing up after months of stiffness</i><br />
<i>669. spring coming so so soon! March is almost over!</i><br />
<i>670. making choices and prioritizing</i><br />
<i>671. days spent writing and planning and figuring out what the heck a query letter even is</i><br />
<i>671. goals and plans and seventh-draft manuscripts (more detailed post coming next week) </i><br />
<i>672. reading lots of YA and being able to call it "research"</i><br />
<i>673. handing in all my major papers for this semester!</i><br />
<i>674. peanut butter+banana on toast (my favourite breakfast right now)</i><br />
<i>675. double dates and late, late night spent talking</i><br />
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<i>I'm sorry I vanished from this blog for three months with no warning! It's been a busy season (and with the grey Winter skies, I haven't had a lot of motivation) ... but things are changing and I'm back here again, and hoping to stay. Forgive me for my long absence?</i><br />
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<i>What makes you happy in these almost-spring days?</i><br />
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<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-54270693632088137502017-12-22T11:49:00.001-05:002017-12-22T11:49:51.506-05:00this Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span><span>This Christmas, I hope you remember that <b>it's all about love</b>. </span></span><br />
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<span><span>We make it into a season of crazy, of lights and winter tires and carols on repeat, and always giving ... giving time, giving presents, giving food, giving prayers and encouragement, giving stress (!) ... and sometimes I think our good intentions create background noise so loud we miss the quiet truth.</span></span><br />
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<span><span>Christmas is about giving, but the gifts we have to give should always be step two - step one is God's great gift to us, and we can't even begin to pass it along to others unless we take the time to receive it, first. This Christmas,<b> it's </b></span></span><span><span><span><span><b>not about
what you have to offer</b>, and all about the no-strings-attached love that has <b>already been offered to you</b>. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span></span></span><span><span>True love - the deep, healing kind - is never about us and <b>always</b> about Him. Love is never what we can do
and <b>always</b> what has been done for us already. Love is never about not
being enough, but simply accepting that his love is MORE than
enough.</span></span><br />
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<span><span><b>THIS IS LOVE: not that we loved God, but that He loved us.<span style="font-size: x-small;">**</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span><span>And don't we so often try to do it the other way around? We try to prove our worth by loving well, and giving much, and we end up tired and falling short, even at the best of times. Because we mix up the order ... we try to give without receiving first, because we're told it's better that way. But sometimes, receiving is sacred instead of selfish, and giving when your heart is empty is the wrong decision.</span></span><br />
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<span><span>So I hope that this Christmas is a<b> season of receiving</b> for you ... that you would take the time to accept the gift of Christ's love as a personal one - for you! - before you begin to pass it along to those around you. Yes, it is blessed to give. But oh, how life-giving it is to <b>receive.</b></span></span><br />
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<i><span><span>Merry Christmas, everyone! I'll see you all in the New Year!</span></span></i><br />
<i><span><span>xx,</span></span></i><br />
<span><span><i>Olivia </i></span></span><br />
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<span><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">*</span></span></span><span><span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/cRfWUqkr0-s?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Arun Kuchibhotla</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>**(1 John 4:10)</span></span><span></span></span></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-50374930864278590582017-12-15T10:48:00.002-05:002017-12-15T10:48:57.749-05:00things that make me happy // 646-660<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span><i>646. watching the snow fall outside my living room window</i></span></div>
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<span><i>647. Christmas trees in the student center at school</i></span></div>
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<span><i>648. getting home after writing an exam and realizing that I don't have to pick up my study notes anymore</i></span></div>
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<span><i>649. Christmas music!</i></span></div>
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<span><i>650. singing carols at youth group in duets with my sister</i></span></div>
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<span><i>651. long chats with mum when no one else is home</i></span></div>
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<span><i>652. one blissfully long weekend when I baked and stretched and watched the ground grow white outside</i></span></div>
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<span><i>653. Christmas lights!</i></span></div>
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<span><i>654. <a href="https://www.fitnessblender.com/">fitness blender</a>'s workouts. probably someday I'll do a whole post on how amazing they are and how much I love what they do, but for now I'll just say I do three 30 minute workouts a week (which is NOT that much) and I am seeing real changes after only a few months.</i></span></div>
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<span><i>655. the glittering lights in the mall (Christmas decorations!!)</i></span></div>
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<span><i>656. sending "hello" videos to friends in other countries</i></span></div>
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<span><i>657. when my sister makes breakfast. or smoothies. or BOTH.</i></span></div>
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<span><i>658. new year plans and looking ahead to when I'll have more time to WRITE</i></span></div>
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<span><i>659. long walks in the snow</i></span></div>
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<span><i>660. Dancing Through the Snow by Jean Little, aka my most favourite Christmas book ever</i></span></div>
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<span><i>In the midst of finals, or exam season, or whatever you call it wherever you live, I hope you find the time to remember the things that make you happy ... even if it's just five minutes taking deep breaths and reflecting on what makes your heart joyful! It's almost Christmas ... and you CAN do this. </i></span></div>
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<span><i>xx,</i></span></div>
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<span><i>Olivia</i></span></div>
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<span>p.s. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/BjxBmGBq38o?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Todd Diemer</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span></div>
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Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-8792944034791537722017-12-01T08:41:00.000-05:002017-12-01T08:41:23.124-05:00you can do this<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Good morning friends!<br />
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Today's post is going to be a short one, since this week has been wildly crazy and I find myself with a to-do list a mile long ... and an essay to finish as the deadline comes closer and closer! (And while I'm not a procrastinator by nature ... I DEFINITELY should have started this one earlier!)<br />
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In the middle of the busyness this week, I've found myself discouraged often, and the words "I can't do this" have come out of my mouth more often than I'd like. I didn't realize how powerless that thought is, but as soon as I started thinking that I'd never be able to pull it all off, I just <b>didn't have any energy</b> left.<br />
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I am blessed beyond belief to have people in my life who are extremely quick to layer truth on top of that terrible little lie, and twice this week I've been flat-out told by people who love me that I am wrong - I am stronger than I give myself credit for - and I can do this. Just like the phrase "I can't" takes power away, hearing someone say <b>"actually, you CAN"</b> was like a boost from a rocketship.<br />
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So I wanted to a take a moment this morning, in the middle of a crazy week, to pass on this encouragement. <b>Don't sabotage yourself </b>with the lie that you can't. Do yourself a favour and surround yourself with people who will call out the truth in you even when you're unable to see it.<br />
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And if no one else tells you today? <b>You CAN do this.</b><br />
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<i>Has anyone else been living in this lie lately? Who keeps you on track with the truth?</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i><b> </b></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-91445487931195943592017-11-24T10:49:00.000-05:002017-11-24T10:49:51.884-05:00a few things to remember at the end of the week<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello friends!<br />
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It's Friday again (isn't it lovely that we get one every seven days?) and this morning I wanted to offer you a few reminders as you go forward into the weekend. Maybe you had a fantastically wonderful week - or maybe it was just rotten. Either way, the hard part is over - you've basically made it to the weekend! I want to take a moment to invite you to sit - rest - breathe. Make some quiet space and see what happens.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">learn how to rest like this Icelandic sheep is resting on the side of a mountain. so serene.</td></tr>
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I kind of said this already, but something I've been learning this week is that when I <b>create spaces of silence</b>, God shows up. I found myself on a 30 minute lunch break in my office at work, and after scrolling through instagram for a few minutes, I decided to put my phone away and just sit and drink my coffee. I crossed my legs, looked out the window, and in about 30 seconds flat, I found myself reeling with how awesome it is that we are made holy through God's sanctification process (find the complete story on my post <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BbzoJN_hM7I/?taken-by=oliviamsmit">here</a>). Thoughts that had flipped through my head at the speed of light earlier on in the week found a home in the 15 minutes of stillness that I found while looking out the window at work ... and I almost missed it all by watching YouTube in the background, as I so often do!<br />
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<b>It's okay to not have it all figured out it.</b> LOL @ the fact that I even typed that sentence, because this is one thing that I do not do well. I usually interpret weekends as "two days during which I must immediately figure every single thing out in my life and everyone else's, too". Don't be like me. Make better choices and let your weekends be weekends - time to do what you love (and maybe catch up on an assignment or two. Or sixty). You can figure it all out on Monday.<b> </b>(JOKING)<b></b><br />
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<b>Sleep in at least once! </b>Seriously. Be productive during the wee hours of the morning some other time, and enjoy your sleep. I always forget to do this until Monday morning when I have to get up for an 8:30 class - then I remember all the times I could have slept in and didn't.<br />
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<b></b>
<i>I seem to be going through a phase where all my posts must be structured in some sort of list? Both of my drafted future posts are like this too and I'm not too sure why??? Anyway ... what are you remembering this weekend? Was your week long+hard, or short+sweet? </i><br />
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<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i><b></b></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-42071483131940064422017-11-17T08:26:00.000-05:002017-11-17T08:26:55.095-05:004 strategies for maintaining balance in your life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I will be the first to admit that living a perfectly balanced life is not something I do well (or ever? But then, does anyone?) But I don't like waking up in the morning stressed before I get out of bed because I'm doing too much of one thing and not enough of another ... and I <i>really</i> don't like not knowing how to fix it. Below I've included a few strategies that I try to use when I feel like I'm living an off-balance life - usually, running down the list of these helps me even everything out again!<br />
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<b>1. Manage your input and output</b><br />
<b> </b> <br />
One of the main things that causes me to feel stressed or unbalanced is if I'm spending<b> too much time either absorbing energy through inward activities, like studying, or pouring energy into outward activities, like public speaking.</b> (In the years when I did NaNoWriMo, my output would go through the charts because I was writing.all.the.time.) The best way to get back to feeling balanced is to take a break and choose something from the other category ... if you're writing all day, every day, take a break and scroll through Pinterest! Read a book! Listen to someone talk about their day! Do anything and everything you can to put more info into your brain so you can turn around and pour it all out again.<br />
On the flip side, if you've spent the last week studying and reading textbooks and watching tv in the evening hours, your brain is probably overflowing! Go write a journal entry, or tell someone about what you're learning, or draw some gorgeous art - anything to siphon the extra stuff out of your head so you can keep right on learning. <br />
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<b>2. Go visit a human person</b><br />
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Go walking, or drink hot chocolate in a new coffee shop, or take a drive to a nearby small town! Take an afternoon off and <b>invest in your relationship with someone else</b> - hear about their life, and vent a little bit about yours. This could be anyone - a family member, a friend - it doesn't have to be outside your comfort zone! I find that just spending a little time with people goes a long way to straightening out the things that feel "off" in my life.<br />
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<b>3. Make a list of things you love and do one thing every day</b><br />
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For me, writing hit the top of the list - a few months ago, I was working and sleeping and studying for exams, and that's it. I felt worn out, and like I was missing something key because I wasn't allowing myself to carve out time to write, or blog, or even journal. <b>Don't do that to yourself. </b>When you find out what you love, make time for it. Or, if you love a lot of things, make a list! Do a couple of them! Don't let the pressures of school or work crowd out the essence of who you really are and what you love to do.<br />
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<b>4. Remind yourself to aim for excellence, not perfection</b><br />
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**This particular piece of advice is courtesy of my mum<br />
Aiming for perfection is one of the fastest ways to throw my life out of balance - I end up pushing and pushing and pushing for a goal that is not only out of reach, but unnecessary. Striving for the standard of excellence means expecting great things - hard things - but it also means that there is such a thing as enough. Occasionally, it's not such a bad thing to just stop. And be done. And let it be what it will be, and call it good enough. I'm not advocating for half-finished projects, or 50% effort ... just <b>arguing against the mentality that we have to spend forever fighting for a standard that we're never going to reach.</b> Don't get stuck there! There are so many other places to explore. <br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Okay, rant over. I fight hard for balance, mostly because I so often find myself without any!! What about you? Do you ever get get "stuck" aiming for perfection? Lost in a broken cycle of input/output? Caught not allowing yourself to do what you love? How do you get unstuck, break the cycle, and go back to embracing what you were made for? I'd love more tips!!</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i><br />
<br />
<i>ps. why yes this is yet another post to be illustrated with pictures from Iceland!! Definitely because I love Iceland and not because I have no other pictures at the moment ... ahem. </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-30662608671697021992017-11-09T16:59:00.000-05:002017-11-10T08:02:53.689-05:00poems about birds, vol II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<br />
And here I stand, hands<br />
buried in<br />
this place:<br />
the very end<br />
of the world<br />
where the water and sky<br />
cease to be two<br />
and waves become whitecapped clouds<br />
the birds swim through -<br />
they are caught in the current of air<br />
tugging, tugging<br />
back toward shore<br />
where the hungry waves<br />
pull<br />
the water back;<br />
it is the tide that knits<br />
water to land,<br />
sand weighing down the waves<br />
saying<br />
remember, remember<br />
where you belong.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
I know why there are no clouds today<br />
it is because the birds<br />
have stolen them;<br />
fashioned wingtips from wisps<br />
of leftover storms, the<br />
darkest roll of thunder for<br />
every feather's edge<br />
and white for their back<br />
where they cradle<br />
the sun.<br />
they have borrowed the voices of<br />
the wind as it<br />
screeches around the corners of<br />
my house and<br />
whips the lake into<br />
a hurricane<br />
come back, come back,<br />
they shriek<br />
come back,<br />
the fun's just starting<br />
it's wild here,<br />
don't you know?<br />
and don't you want to stay<br />
and watch?<br />
<br />
<i>poems about birds are my favourite kind of poems. any place where there's water and sky and winged creatures that glide comfortably through both worlds, I think there's a little bit of magic. where are your lovely, ethereal places?</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-12576879721760806432017-11-03T10:56:00.000-04:002017-11-03T10:56:00.139-04:00things that make me happy // 631-645<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<i>631. fall leaves and thick, heavy clouds</i><br />
<i>632. my siblings playing Christmas music on the piano</i><br />
<i>633. porch lights turned on at dinnertime</i><br />
<i>634. the mountains in Iceland</i><br />
<i>635. writing essays about fictional princesses (most fun part of being an English major)</i><br />
<i>636. when my youth pastor boss brings me a chai tea latte for no apparent reason</i><br />
<i>637. the way my dog looks at me when I get the peanut butter out of the fridge</i><br />
<i>638. library booksales (they sold their books for $2!!! each!!!!)</i><br />
<i>639. waffles+whipped cream</i><br />
<i>640. the way yoga+deep breaths unties all the knots in my chest</i><br />
<i>641. playing board games with friends until 1am </i><br />
<i>642. going for walks after dark and talking about the stuff that matters</i><br />
<i>643. talking on the phone to faraway friends</i><br />
<i>644. when the sunlight comes through my window at work</i><br />
<i>645. dog-sitting a cuddly puppy</i><br />
<br />
Did you know that Autumn is my favourite season? Anne of Green Gables once said that she was so glad that she lived in a world where there were Octobers ... and even though the month has passed, I wholeheartedly agree. What makes you happy this month? Which season is your favourite?<br />
<br />
xx,<br />
Olivia<br />
<br /></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-18945245593370856192017-10-27T08:15:00.000-04:002017-10-27T08:15:38.776-04:00thinking about love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
NOT the romantic kind so just calm down everyone. whew.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I've been thinking a lot lately about the love of God ... something that seems to be a recurring theme for me. Every few months, it pops up again, and every few months, I find myself going back to the basics of what love is, and why I don't deserve it ... and why God wants to give it to me, anyway.<br />
<br />
This time around, I find my own<b> flawed</b> view of love challenged, because I tend to look at love as a see-saw. If I do something loving, I expect the person I love to do something loving in return, BEFORE I do something loving again for them. <b>I picture love as something that fits into a pattern</b>, plan, or cycle ... a give/take relationship ... and when someone screws with my system and doesn't treat me the way I think I deserve to be treated, I start withholding my love from them, too.<br />
<br />
Some of this is out of self-righteousness or me sticking my nose in the air and waiting until I get what I feel I deserve, but a lot of it comes from fear.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>FEAR</i></b><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>that if I don't put my foot down and ask for it, I'll never get any love in return</i><br />
<i>that if I love with my whole self, I'll get hurt</i><br />
<i>that I'll be seen as needy or clingy if I'm too open with my affirmation</i><br />
<br />
<br />
and so I do my best to maintain this balance, this steady back and forth of the see-saw, this order where my love fulfills a mathematical formula and always stays within the boundaries of what I deem to be socially acceptable.<br />
<br />
But the longer this system just absolutely does NOT work for me, the more I realize that what I'm doing isn't really love at all. <b>It's mostly just fear. </b><br />
<br />
Jesus doesn't love us like this. <b>Jesus just loves us and loves us</b> and the see-saw almost NEVER swings back in his direction, and He loves us anyway. He loves us enough not to give up on us or abandon us. He just loves us, end of story. No reciprocal action required.<br />
<br />
This is very hard for me to understand.<br />
<br />
I don't understand why someone would love me like this. I don't understand how I'm supposed to love other people like this. I just don't understand love at all, basically, is what I'm trying to say. But I was thinking about it today and realized that living to protect myself from getting hurt isn't working for me, either. The more I hold back and keep my mouth shut and refuse to love people because I'm <i>afraid</i>, the more stressed-out and tired I become.<b> It takes a lot of energy to be afraid all the time. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
So here's to letting go and loving anyway. Here's to fearing less, and being open more, and accepting that it's okay not to understand. Here's to letting go of systems and see-saws, checks and balances, and just <i>receiving</i> the love that God has for me ... and then <i>releasing</i> it freely to the people around me. No more holding on with clenched fists.<br />
<br />
This is what I've been thinking about love, lately ... it's an old conversation, one that I've been having with myself for years, and I always seem to end up here. Open my hands and receive - and then open my hands and release. Open, open, open. It's not a simple solution - it's something I still get wrong all the time - but it is a solution that brings freedom like I can't explain. When I disrupt the cycle of <i>receive and release</i>, everything in me gets thrown out of whack. When I relax and uncurl my fingers and start stretching myself out again, open-handed, everything begins to click back into shape.<br />
<br />
I am so very loved. And I pass this truth on to you - you are so very extremely loved, too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Thoughts and old struggles and new hope+forgiveness+freedom circling around my heart this week! How do you think about love? What part of the receive+release cycle do you get stuck on?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia</i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-24942937140676418472017-10-20T09:16:00.000-04:002017-10-20T09:16:20.210-04:00white water, black sand (and other adventures)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So... I guess it was kind of a fun time.</td></tr>
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<b><br /> </b><br />
At the end of August, I was at the cottage with some friends, and we
ended up talking about Iceland in that random sort of way that summer
conversations meander back and forth over all kinds of little things ...
trips other people were taking, dreams from years ago, and plans made
around a campfire that dissipate quickly in the morning light.<br />
<br />
Except that this particular plan didn't float away like last night's smoke ... it <i>grew.</i><br />
<br />
That's the simple version, of course, but really, that's how I ended up on a plane to Keflavik, Iceland (and then on a bus to the capital city). It was just an idea, and then it was a plan, and then suddenly it was plane tickets and calendar dates and suitcases and boarding passes and the ground dropping away beneath us faster than I could blink.<br />
<br />
And then ... Iceland!<br />
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We walked the colourful streets of the capital city, rode horses across stone-broken lava fields, hiked up waterfalls, and road tripped across the Southern part of Iceland ... we saw snow at the top of Glymur, sheep upon sheep upon sheep by the side of the road, and rainbows every 30 seconds in Reykjavik, where the weather changes faster than you can pull a hood over your head. It was the most "adulting" I've ever done, all the way across the ocean from everything that I'm used to, and as beautiful as it was, it made me realize how much I love living in Canada, too. <br />
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<i>It truly was a wild trip... in every sense of the world! Would you be interested in seeing another post about tips and tricks for traveling Iceland? let me know in the comments!</i><br />
<i>If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would YOU go?</i><br />
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<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-42493752529882324552017-10-13T16:47:00.001-04:002017-10-13T16:47:46.231-04:00an Icelandic adventure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you've been following along on my instagram account, you'll know that I've mysteriously vanished from Canadian soil and reappeared in another gorgeous place ... but I've been keeping the location a secret (mostly for my own amusement). Anyway ... if you haven't figured it out already, I've spent this week in ICELAND!<br />
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I'm hoping to get a more detailed post up next Friday (with photo edits so the LIGHTING will be fixed help), but until then, enjoy these cell phone snapshots from my week!<br />
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<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia</i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-5378197242370595672017-10-06T10:06:00.003-04:002017-10-06T10:06:31.460-04:00things that make me happy // 612-630<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In honour of Canadian Thanksgiving (which is this weekend!) my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oliviamsmit/">insta</a> posts this week have been focusing on the theme of little things that make me happy ... and I thought this Friday was a perfect time to follow suit on the blog, too! So, without further ado...<br />
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<i>612. getting lost for hours in bookstores</i><br />
<i>613. watching the way sun speckles the walls of my office, and then shivers when the wind blows tree branches outside</i><br />
<i>614. buying tea, esp if it's for other people</i><br />
<i>615. my little elephant teapot (his name is Freddie and he was my 20th birthday present)</i><br />
<i>616. plaid scarves (red ones are my favourite)</i><br />
<i>617. waking up to rain against my window after a week of sunny, hot weather (in October?? no thank you)</i><br />
<i>618. walking out of an exam room after handing my work in</i><br />
<i>619. turkey and pie and stuffing with my family (but especially pie)</i><br />
<i>620. red shoes and blue vests</i><br />
<i>621. that "ohmygosh I totally do that oh NO" moment when reading and identifying a little too much with a few of the characters</i><br />
<i><i>622. sleek black passports and packing lists</i></i><br />
<i><i>623. suitcases and deciding which pants to wear on an airplane </i> </i><br />
<i>624. learning new languages</i><br />
<i>625. heartbeats</i><br />
<i>626. baby smiles that show off their new teeth</i><br />
<i>627. writing poetry</i><br />
<i>628</i><i><i>. wine glasses (obviously I like the wine that goes in them, too, but the glasses themselves are so very pretty)</i> </i><br />
<i><i>629. clear skies when you can see the stars</i> </i><br />
<i>630. travel plans and airplane views and counting down the sleeps until I leave...</i><br />
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What makes you happy this month? Is anyone out there actually getting Fall weather, or are we all equally bereft? Also, I am going on an adventure THIS WEEK which means you should keep your eye on instagram (and next Friday's post!) for more info...<br />
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<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia</i><br />
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<i>p.s. apparently "parenthesis" should have made this list ... when proofreading this post, I realized I used them FIVE times in quick succession. I have a problem.</i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-12872844364616943752017-09-29T08:17:00.000-04:002017-10-06T09:36:14.814-04:005 ways to recharge a tired soul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Happy Friday, friends! As we slip deeper into Autumn (my most favourite of all the seasons!) and start to take on more assignments, it's easy to wake up feeling tired without really knowing why. These days I'm working hard at striking a balance between pushing through and knowing when to sit back and take a break ... here are 5 of the ways I like to help myself recharge without completely letting go of all my other responsibilities(!)<br />
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1. Take a night off<br />
If your work or school schedule is super intense, this doesn't mean cutting back on your working hours ... there's no pressure to take every single evening to yourself if that's not reasonable for you. But what about taking one? Bump your social plans (or study plans, if you have the margin) to tomorrow, or the weekend, or next week, and plan to spend the night in. Even if you're an extrovert (like me!), having a little quiet time can be powerful ... plus, it opens up a little space for you to do what YOU want to do, not what you feel you should be doing or need to be doing for others. (For me, this could be cleaning the bathrooms, reading a novel, or working on my book! It all depends on what kind of week I've had).<br />
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2. Bake something<br />
Sometimes when I'm tired, I just want to feel like I've accomplished something - baking (or cooking, if that's what you prefer) is a quick and easy way to satisfy this itch. Making something with your hands is intensely rewarding, and the payoff is almost instant ... you can have cookies sitting on the counter about half an hour after first reaching for the mixing bowl.<br />
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3. Go for a walk<br />
This one is simple and easy to fit in anytime, anywhere! If I'm feeling worn out (or stressed out!) I sometimes walk across the church parking lot while I'm on my lunch break, or do a loop around campus if I'm at school. The fresh air will perk up your mood, and the exercise will help you feel more awake, too.<br />
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4. Allow yourself the luxury of a 20 minute nap<br />
Set a timer, shut the blinds, and lie down for 15 or 20 minutes ... you don't have to fall asleep to reap the benefits of a little relax time! (If you don't have a private space to sleep in, the back seat of your car will work, too!) <br />
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5. Stop feeling guilty<br />
There is nothing that will suck your energy away faster than guilt. Whether it's anxiety over a paper you think you should have spent more time on, the bedroom that you needed to tidy but didn't, or just a nagging feeling that you're not doing enough ... guilt will get you every time. Try to let go of feeling like you "should be" doing something else. Try to get rid of that ugly voice that says you're not doing "enough". I'm not great at it, either ... nor can I give you a 30-second quick fix to erase all guilt from your life. But I can encourage you to start trying! Remind yourself of what is true (example: it is OKAY to take a break and bake cookies from time to time) instead of living in the lie that says you always need to do MORE. <br />
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<i>I hope these 5 suggestions offer you a little time for rest this fall! What are your favourite ways to carve out recharge time for yourself? Are you good at resting, or do you feel guilty when you stop for a break? Let's chat. :)</i><br />
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<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i><br />
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<i>P.S. the cwtch is now on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecwtchblog/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oliviamsmit/">Instagram</a>! I'd love it if you popped by to say hello! ♥ </i><br />
<i>P.P.S. photo from my trip to Montreal last spring ... credit to Madi for the gorgeous b&w </i> </div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-22867109223052632562017-09-22T08:12:00.000-04:002017-09-22T08:12:25.047-04:00my blue castle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"They never knew that Valancy had two homes - the ugly red brick box of a
house on Elm Street, and the Blue Castle in Spain.... Always, when she
shut her eyes, she could see it plainly... everything wonderful and
beautiful was in that castle." <i>- The Blue Castle, L.M. Montgomery</i><br />
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If I had an imaginary Blue Castle, mine would be by the lake, so I could watch the storms roll in, heavy clouds and white-capped waves hurled against the shore. I'd have a house with lots of East-facing windows, so I could watch the sun rise and see the morning light speckle the walls. I would plant trees out front and back with low branches perfect for climbing, and I'd throw open all the windows to hear the birds sing.<br />
<br />
I think my Blue Castle would be right on the edges of a small town with shops lined up on Main Street - the kind of town where people walk to the grocery store, and the cashier remembers your name when you go to pay. I'd live in a house with a small piano in the living room, even though I don't play very often, and I would have a room in the back of the house with nothing in it but books (and maybe a very comfortable chair)! If I was allowed to choose, I'd find myself someplace with a yard and a swing (or two), and a little wicker couch on the front porch. I'd have a big kitchen so I could throw loud, happy dinner parties, and have my grade 11 students over to make cookies.<br />
<br />
Valancy's Blue Castle was a glorious, dramatic mansion, but I think if I had the choice, I'd settle for a little less. I'd choose somewhere that looks a lot like the house I grew up in... somewhere like my grandparents' small little beach town. If I could live anywhere at all, the only place I really want to be is somewhere I can call "home" ... and mean it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>I daydreamed a little bit yesterday ... in your wildest dreams, where do you find yourself? If you had all the choices in the world, where would you like to live forever? What does your Blue Castle look like?</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i><br />
p.s. this lovely photo was brought to you by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/P8bsrm8KbM0?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Valentina Locatelli</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>
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Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-62705702778925528792017-09-14T19:12:00.000-04:002017-09-15T08:25:16.001-04:00university in the morning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<br />
I had my first class on Monday morning, and when it let out early I found a park bench to sit on and study while I waited for my sister to get out of <i>her</i> first class (mine was Family Studies and hers was Stats, so I think we know who got the better deal). In the shadow of an old, elegantly-bricked building, with my notes spread across my lap, I was happy to be back in school ... and that kind of surprised me.<br />
<br />
Every semester when classes start again, I have a bad habit of looking at it as an opportunity to fail, like this is the year I'm going to drop the ball and miss assignments and blank on the exam ... like this is the term I'm not going to be able to keep my schedule together, and get all the readings done, and actually write the term paper due at the beginning of December. But, you know,<b> it's usually fine</b>, and by the end of the year after final exams, maybe there were a couple of marks I wasn't totally happy with, <b>but I made it</b>.<br />
<br />
So I'm hoping that this will be the year that I just learn to relax a little bit (!!!) and stop overthinking things, and maybe expect for once that things will go <b>well</b>. I like to prepare for the worst (which isn't always a bad thing!) but often with me becomes being <b>terrified </b>of the worst and refusing to believe that the best is even possible. And that's not such a great place to be. <br />
<br />
Here's to setting kinder expectations and upholding the highest of hopes ... and here's to the knowledge that it's just school, after all, and we can <b>so</b> do this.<br />
<br />
<i>what are your biggest school fears? biggest school dreams? what hopes are you holding onto this fall?</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-25819586092604893822017-09-08T08:01:00.001-04:002017-09-08T08:01:38.941-04:00things that make me happy // 593-611<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<br />
593. long drives under a full moon<br />
594. writing poetry on the beach in my favourite little town<br />
595. selling my used textbooks!<br />
596. planning trips to faraway places (more on this ... eventually)<br />
597. water and sky<br />
598. the start of school (which equals the start of youth group at my church!)<br />
599. bonfires after church<br />
600. thrift shopping with COUPONS<br />
601. the little bit of nip in the air the past few days<br />
602. morning sunshine patterns on the walls<br />
603. the smell of Starbucks through the drive-thru window<br />
604. writing love poetry<br />
605. Pumpkin Spice Lattes (terribly cliche, but I do love them)<br />
606. high schoolers - how young and old they are all at the same time <br />
607. sudden cloudbursts (and the fact that we call them "cloudbursts". what a great word)<br />
608. staff breakfast with my church coworkers<br />
609. the way Aslan talks to Susan<br />
610. seagulls<br />
611. doing yoga under a blue sky<br />
<br />
<i> what makes you happy these days?</i><br />
<br />
xx,<br />
Olivia<br />
<br />
~pictures from a trip to Ottawa</div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761130327318337387.post-41012340996670616772017-09-01T07:33:00.000-04:002017-09-01T07:33:58.478-04:00poems about birds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRMfhZUuJjlT7HM7PPhZw-HZEnkaqAN_g6WrGSo1RkOcAjlKcuKxjKB3VwcFON-5JtxQRwZjH0FXJNLwdIOpKE7MuVwmTIo1MYmFn9lVKhqqJBO93l646CwGKmtiaf_2uSUOPNAOMIAuf/s1600/eder-pozo-perez-32854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRMfhZUuJjlT7HM7PPhZw-HZEnkaqAN_g6WrGSo1RkOcAjlKcuKxjKB3VwcFON-5JtxQRwZjH0FXJNLwdIOpKE7MuVwmTIo1MYmFn9lVKhqqJBO93l646CwGKmtiaf_2uSUOPNAOMIAuf/s1600/eder-pozo-perez-32854.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/ymqeugh2Ns8?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Eder Pozo Pérez</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></td></tr>
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<br />
I looked up --<br />
a flock of birds circled<br />
deep in the sky<br />
below me<br />
the ocean of air holds them and<br />
they hang, listening as<br />
the current whispers, home ... home ...<br />
I would swim<br />
through the clouds<br />
to greet them<br />
arms spread, soaring<br />
down, down<br />
towards the sun.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
how do they know<br />
which way to fly?<br />
do they map the<br />
whitecapped breezes,<br />
or merely follow<br />
a compass deep within?<br />
a restlessness that<br />
only wants to go<br />
home, again.<br />
<i></i><br />
<br />
<i>because the way their wings look silhouetted against the clouds has won my heart.</i><br />
<br />
<i>xx,</i><br />
<i>Olivia </i></div>
Olivia Smithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06248659353869417682noreply@blogger.com19