Soundtrack of My Life

As a screenwriter and music-lover, I pay special attention to the soundtracks of the films I watch. (One of my favorites from 2011 is Howard Shore’s Oscar-nominated score for Hugo.) As a writer, I find music one of the easiest ways to “enter” into the ideal writing state–relaxed but focused–by playing carefully chosen music. My screenplays each have their own “soundtrack,” made up of a wide variety of instrumental pieces carefully chosen for the mood they evoke in me. Once a piece of music becomes “writing music,” when I’m writing becomes the only time I play it. Hans Zimmer–composer of countless soundtrack masterpieces as Gladiator, Batman Begins, King Arthur, Driving Miss Daisy, Sherlock Holmes, and so many films–is one of my favorite composers.

The theme of Pope Benedict XVI’s Message for the 46th World Day of Communication (on May 20, 2012) is: “Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization.” In his message, Pope Benedict speaks about the importance of creating an environment for ourselves that balances silence, words, images, and sounds. I agree wholeheartedly with his recommendation, and I realize that I’ve been doing this for some time in my life.

In a media culture that bombards us with information and messages that appeal to our needs, it’s important that we give some thought to our environment. What media do I choose to take in? There is nothing wrong with having preferences, but a diet of just one kind of media message can be as unhealthy as eating only chocolate all day long. And when do I need to “take a break” from the flow of information so that I can ponder it and more deeply reflect on its meaning for me?

Silence is essential for any real communication to happen. Think about the spoken word. Words have beginnings, middles, and ends. The separation between each word–no matter how brief–enables us to distinguish that word. Forexamplereadingthissentencewithoutanyspacesmakesitmuchhardertounderstand. The spaces between the words, the silence between sounds, is important for us to create understanding.

But if we want to deeply listen, we need more silence than a breath or a space bar. When I plan to write a film commentary, it is helpful to jot down notes while or just after seeing the film. But my best commentaries come after I’ve had a good night’s sleep. I need a little space for the film’s sounds, images, dialogue, and emotional impact to sink in, and then, to find my own authentic response to them. I think one of the reasons it’s helpful for me to “ponder” a film overnight is that, in the silence of my overnight activities–such as night prayer, getting ready for bed, falling asleep and then rising early to pray–I have the opportunity to ponder, to listen more deeply.

“Deep listening” is what contemplation is all about. (By the way, a wonderful introduction to contemplation that I just found is Choosing To Love the World: On Contemplation, by Thomas Merton, edited by Jonathan Montaldo.) Deep listening to the culture, to people’s needs today, to the people I minister to, to the sisters I live with, to my own self, and to God. This is essential for my life as a writer and as a Christian serious about my relationship with God. Sometimes, God speaks the most profoundly in silence.

The soundtrack of my life, as a Daughter of St. Paul and a communicator of the Gospel, requires all kinds of elements:

• Interpersonal conversation and dialogue
• Connection with people I meet casually or in ministry–reaching out to discover and respond to their needs–and open to being touched by their goodness and humanity
• Digital connection with people I “meet” online
• Close relationships with friends, the sisters I live with, my family and loved ones
• Participation within–perhaps even immersion–in the culture of communication: facebook, email, youtube, goodreads, etc…
• Choosing to take in profound pieces of art, like the depth of exploring the human experience that comes from viewing a film such as Tree of Life, or the beauty of the music of a soundtrack like Gladiator
• Silence–where I can most deeply connect with God and with myself

What are the elements of the “soundtrack” of my life this week? They’ve ranged from Palestrina (The Song of Songs), to the lovely voices of my sisters at table, to pop music heard at the mall, to the shouts of  TV football game announcers, to the exquisite sounds and images of Hugo at the theater, to the snowfall-muffled noises of the busy city street I live on, to the silence of the chapel early in the morning. I get to choose to balance these elements, to make sure that they create a “soundtrack” to my life that will help me to live in deeper union with Christ and with his People.

What is the soundtrack of your life?

Eventful Feast of St. Francis de Sales

It’s a tradition that, on the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists, the Pope releases his message for World Communications Day. As posted earlier, the theme Pope Benedict XVI has chosen for this year is: “Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization.” You can read the whole message here (it’s only two pages), and I’ll be praying with it over the next few days and share my reflections.

Today, the Oscar nominations were announced, and the nominations just remind me what a solid year 2011 was for good films–and a few great ones.

 

 

Writing Resolutions for 2012

Especially when I’ve been away from my writing for a while–and it’s been a couple of weeks since I last wrote–I will grab a writing prompt from a favorite resource. Lately when I’ve been traveling, I usually pack a couple of writing cards from The Writer’s Retreat by Judy Reeves. Each large card offers a series of writing prompts according to its theme. On the theme “Wanderlust,” one of the prompts encourages me to ask myself: Where have I been and where am I going?

 

Where am I coming from? That’s a good question for me, coming back to writing a book and a screenplay after three weeks of class preparation and teaching. I hope that the break (from writing) will allow me to re-enter both projects with new, fresh insights. One of the points that I emphasized with my students was to make the audience, or the people I am writing for, the “starting point” of the project. Every decision I make about the script or the book, I want to reference to the future viewer or reader. Telling them about this has been a good reminder for me–I’ve already realized one change I need to make in the book I am writing on the Eucharist.

 

But where am I going? I hope the break will allow me to enter my writing with less of a focus on deadlines and more of a sense of freedom. Even though it’s mid-January, it’s not too late for some writing resolutions for 2012. (Actually, I find that it’s helpful to renew my writing process regularly.) Here are my five chosen writing resolutions:

 

1. Recommit to my writing–both the projects and the process. This may be obvious, but it’s something I need to do often to keep my doubts and misgivings at bay. In the midst of writing, I tend to worry too much about the end results, instead of simply respecting my own process and writing rhythms. I want to take time not just to be productive, but also to develop my writing: to learn, to try new things, to spend more time observing. My writing process often includes my prayer, so I want to continue paying attention to the connection between my prayer life and my writing life.

2. When I can’t write, don’t worry about it. There are times in all of our lives when writing can’t take priority or may even need to be put on hold. Since these are usually busy times, carrying around that unnecessary guilt can be a heavy burden. Instead, I plan to try to take five minutes a day to simply reconnect to my writing life–browsing a writing article, or brainstorming one aspect of my project.

3. Stop pushing so hard. When I’m relaxed, I write so much better. When I simply immerse myself in my writing and commit to the project, then the whole process is not only easier, it’s so much more enjoyable. Deadlines are a reality of the writing life, but there’s a place and a time for focusing on them. Always worrying about deadlines is not only panic-inducing, it actually deadens my creativity.

4. Divide up my time better between various projects, so that those that are close to completion or that I’ve been dreaming about for several years, can become a reality. I’m especially thinking of a podcast for See Yourself Through God’s Eyes, which I’ve wanted to do for two years, but I keep putting off until I “have time.” I also want to put together an author website–to offer additional resources to my readers, and to have an easy way for people to get in touch with me about a specific book.

5. Offer critiquing services to other Catholic and Christian writers. I first discovered my love of giving feedback on others’ writing as a member of the various writing groups I belonged to. I’ve read a lot of books about writing, but critiquing seems to be more of a natural talent for me, as I feel I’m able to see a project’s strengths and needs. I have professional experience evaluating screenplays and books which have Christian themes or elements, specifically: screenplays, fiction in certain genres, nonfiction spirituality. I haven’t actually put myself out there to help beginning Catholic and Christian writers, and I’d like to do that this year.

 

These are some very substantial resolutions, and I’m not sure I’ll successfully keep all of them, but the first four are absolutely essential if I want to grow in my writing. I’d love it if you share your most important writing or communication resolutions for 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My “Crash Course” as a Teacher

I’m on my way back from St. Louis, MO, having taught a class to the postulants of the Daughters of St. Paul about the Pauline mission. I’m looking forward to being back home and writing. But I really enjoyed getting to know the young women who are preparing to become Daughters of St. Paul.

What has this experience been like for me? I’ve never taught an extended class before–at most, a couple of hours of classes over a period of three days. I found that it takes a lot of energy to teach dynamically. I taught for a total of about 25 hours this week, and that doesn’t include the prep time, or meeting with the individual postulants on their projects. I hope that the way I taught the class “modeled” the pastoral communication that I was teaching. I tried to not only prepare the content/material in an organized and in-depth way, but also to create opportunities in the class for dialogue, interactivity, and immersion in the culture of communication. Overall (and I am still waiting for feedback), I think the class went well. But, perhaps because of the length or intensity of the classes, or the level of effort I put into teaching this subject for the first time, I find my energy ebbing pretty low now that class is over.

Of course, my fatigue could simply be my introverted self asserting my need for some writing time and some quiet!  Either way, it’s been a great week, but very tiring. (I hope not as tiring for my students!) I’m hoping that they will blog about their insights.

I am really looking forward to getting back to my writing. I just received some good news:  my editor emailed me to tell me that the books on the saints that I worked on last year are being edited next month. I don’t have a release date yet, but I do know that, after the editor makes her comments, I’ll be revising in February. It’s always great news to have a book manuscript take its next step forward!

That means that the rest of January needs to be a month full of writing! Right now (at the airport gate in St. Louis) that seems both very exciting and a little intimidating. I hope to spend the flight time in prayer and in getting back into a writing mode.

One last note: the talk and book-signing in St. Louis was a great success, thanks to the participants and the sisters who untiringly invited everyone! We had 23 people join us for the evening (plus the 10 sisters and postulants of the community), and my favorite participant was the infant who lay in the back (in her mother’s arms) and made just a few “comments” near the end.

Visiting St. Louis and Pauline Discipleship Week

I am on my way to St. Louis, Missouri to spend a week teaching the postulants of our community. I’m looking forward to spending time with these future Daughters of St. Paul, as well as the unusually warm, sunny weather (certainly a break from Toronto’s gloomy chill!)

If anyone is in the St. Louis area, I am doing a talk and booksigning for my book, See Yourself Through God’s Eyes on Wednesday evening (Jan. 11).

For those who are interested in what it’s like to visit the convent of the Daughters of St. Paul, check out: http://paulinefaithways.blogspot.com/ for a lovely recap of Pauline Discipleship Week.

2011 on this blog–thank you!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog. A very big thank you to all of you who read my blog and those who commented. For 2012, I hope to get more of a dialogue going!

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 11,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Jesus as Our Way of Communication

Happy New Year!

I apologize for not posting more frequently these past two weeks. I’ve been writing daily on my new book on the Eucharist, and preparing a class on the Pauline mission for our postulants which I will be teaching next week. Actually, preparing the class for our postulants (who have a lovely blog which both inspires and shares what the life of a postulant is really like) has given me oodles of ideas for this blog, I just haven’t had time to jot them down.

One idea that has revisited me is to explore more deeply the spirituality of communication by looking at Jesus as our Way of Communication (as well as continuing my reflections on St. Paul as Communicator, from the perspective of 2 Corinthians.) Some years ago, I prayed through the Gospel according to John and reflected on Jesus’ words and examples as a model for my communication. So I’ll start off the new year by posting my first prayer in a chaplet to Jesus, Divine Master-Communicator, inspired by the Gospel of John and Communio et Progressio, #11. I wrote this prayer a number of years ago and shared it with the sisters of my community. It’s quite simple, but I share it here in the hopes that it will inspire your reflections and prayers as a communicator. (And again, I invite you to share your insights–either on my blog’s comments, or on facebook.)

I. The First Disciples (cf. John 2:35-40)

Jesus, Divine Master, at your first opportunity to gather disciples, you did not lecture them or test them. Instead, your first words to them was a question about their concerns: “What are you looking for?” You understood that they weren’t just looking for intellectual knowledge, nor for a great teacher. You looked into their hearts and asked them what they really sought—and they answered you because you were truly listening. You responded by inviting them to experience your life with you….

Jesus, we thank you for the many examples of profound communication which you have given us in the Gospel. Grant that our hearts may be truly open to the cries of humanity. May we understand the yearnings of the hearts of men and women today, and seek to touch others’ lives by pointing the way to a full experience of union with you.

A Gospel Passage for Writers

The last day of 2011 has arrived, a day that always fills me with two strong feelings that are a bit at odds with each other: regret and gratitude. Regret for what I haven’t done, for dreams or hopes that have died or been delayed. Gratitude for the many, many blessings I’ve received. Even on dark days, gratitude outweighs regret. This year is no exception: as I have been reading through my prayer-journal this past week, I am truly stunned at all that has happened, all of the challenges I have faced (with God’s grace), and all of the blessings that I’ve received.

Last year, I posted about the very special way that we Daughters of St. Paul spend New Year’s Eve. Part of that extended time of adoration I use to prayerfully reflect over the past year’s events and graces. Tonight I will not only be praying over the past year and looking ahead to 2012, but I will also be praying for you, my blog readers, that your New Year may be filled with the graces that you most need and desire. Please feel free to send your prayer intentions below in the comments section.

I often spend my New Year’s Eve praying with today’s Gospel reading (John 1:1-18), which is given to us three times during the Christmas season: once on Christmas Day, today, and the second Sunday of Christmas. “In the beginning was the Word….” This year, there are some profound theological meditations on this passage available online:

From Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation, Verbum Domini, Part One: The God Who Speaks (#s 6-21 for the readers, #s6-13 for those who want a shorter version).

Father Robert Barron’s audio reflection for Christmas Day.

The written commentary from Sacred Space.

But my brief reflection, instead of being theological, will focus on the reality that John 1:1-18 could be called the Gospel passage for writers. “Word of God” is how the Gospel describes the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. As writers, this is particularly powerful for us. We have a special relationship with words–we think about them, play with them, re-order them, are haunted by them, brood over which one to select, and seek to use them to communicate truth–the truth of our experience, the truth of faith, the truth of life.

This passage of the Gospel is retelling the story of God’s communication with humanity: a communication that is not simply a message, but an experience of creation, redemption, and renewal. It tells us that all of us (in fact, the entire cosmos) are created in the Word of God, and that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Word of God, the perfect expression of the Father, becomes flesh for our sake, to bring us life. The most perfect communication possible: the giving of God’s own Self, God’s very Life, to us.

This incredibly brief retelling of God’s communication with humanity–both past and present–becomes a model for us as communicators. The Word of God become flesh is the Way for us as writers to live our baptismal call to “express” or “image” the presence of God in the world.

As loving communicators, we are called to a twofold fidelity: fidelity to our Message (who is God in Christ), and fidelity to those with whom we communicate. If either is lacking, our communication is seriously flawed. Jesus lives that fidelity perfectly: as Word of God, he is the image of the Father. To communicate with us, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity becomes one with us, takes on our humanity.

As writers, we are called to be faithful witnesses to Christ, and to become one with those with whom we communicate. Our filial relationship with God, our sisterhood or brotherhood in Christ shapes all our writing, whether explicitly Christian or not. In some way, all of our writing should build up the human community, opening a space for communion with Christ. And in many cases, we explicitly witness to Christ and point the way towards communion with him.

If you have some thoughts about how Christ is your Way in how you communicate, please share them below.  This is a theme that I will be returning to in future blog posts, but I’d love to turn it into a dialogue.

Blessed Christmas!

I want to apologize for the not correctly putting in the links to the articles on my last post. The links are fixed now, so hopefully you will be able to enjoy Sr. Kathryn’s reflection on silence during these last days of Advent!

In October, I posted about a new book by Christine Valters Paintner entitled, The Artist’s Rule: a Twelve-Week Journey: nurturing your creative soul with monastic wisdom. In the past few days I’ve browsed a few of the online articles that Christine has posted, and I was especially delighted with: “Responding to Beauty’s Call: The Shape of an Aesthetic Spirituality”, a wonderful summing up of beauty as the “heart” of an artistic vocation. She quotes many of my favorite artists/writers: Blessed John Paul, Thomas Merton, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Frederick Buechner. Her website is full of resources for Catholic artists; I encourage you to visit it. One of her latest posts offers Practices for the 12 Days of Christmas.  

These days of Advent waiting just before Christmas, our days can fill with busyness, even “franticness.” (For some of us, Christmas becomes a deadline rather than a a sacred moment.) Without letting go of the lovely ways that you plan to celebrate Christmas, I encourage you to squeeze in five minutes here and there to take a break from the pressing concerns of the moment. It could be a quick walk, a quiet moment to pray the Angelus, or just a few minutes with a family member or friend–to savor God’s presence in your life right now. There are so many ways that God wants to “be” with us–but we don’t take the time to see or hear. Let us spend these last few days of Advent truly “awake” to prepare our hearts to savor more profoundly the love of Christ come in the guise of a little Child.