Thanks so much for being here and making Four Days A Week a special place since March 15, 2010. Although today's post marks the closing of my Monday Musings blog, the spirit of following our dreams and doing what we love lives on. Stepping out into the sun and on a different path. Come. Take a walk with me. Let's go to my new home online at www.miatstarr.com ~ where I'm building a treasure chest of moments, musings, and inspiration from behind and beyond my desk, sharing and creating. To my regular readers, or perhaps those just passing through, here's to a wonderful year following your dreams. May each step forward be filled with unforgettable moments, inspiration, and joy. It's a new day. Dare to reach beyond your grasp. I hope to see you out there. And for those days when you need a little lift and inspiration, or a room with a view, please stop by my home. The door is open. Do. Dream. Believe.
Writing from the heart ...On one of my visits home to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2001, I asked my seventy-year-old father to write a journal about his life and days in Viet Nam. I said to him in English and part Vietnamese: "Write whatever comes to mind. Don't worry about time and having things in order. Write from the heart. Write in Vietnamese. Don't worry about the language, or the form. I will figure it out later." My father did not ask questions or why. He simply nodded and said, "Okay." Two years later my father gave me his seventy-five page, handwritten journal and said, "My memory is good ... sometimes too good that it can be bad. My writing is not so good. It can be better." I thanked my father for giving me what will later become the voice and inspiration to MORNING SUN, a historical fiction about a Vietnamese boy coming of age in wartime.
Chapter One
Clouds. A visible dark mass lingers in the air, lowers and threatens and destroys. Spring arrives.
from 14 December 1944, Thursday
to 2 March 1945, Friday
age twelve
My parents say I am stronger and smarter than I appear. They have known this from the moment I was born on 8 April 1932 and stretched out my long fingers to touch my father's face. My brother before me was not strong. He died on the second day. My parents do not talk much about my brother's death. When life is difficult, my parents often call out my name, Manh, which means strength in Vietnamese. They say Manh with tenderness and a quiet defiance against the hardships of life.
I am twelve years old. I never doubt my strength and intelligence when I am with my parents, not even when sheets of gray skies linger in the air like today on 14 December 1944. It's that time of the year when the sun fades and disappears, sometimes taking as long as six days to return to Mong Phu, my little village on a low hill, forty-eight kilometers northwest of Ha Noi in Viet Nam. Two hundred people live in Mong Phu, and we have not seen the sun in four days. I know it's impossible, but sitting with my family near a stream, I wonder if the clouds, out of hunger, have eaten the sun.
THE BEAUTIFUL PAINTING, Self Portrait of a Bear (featured in the photo above), sits in my home and reminds me I'm on the right path. It was a gift and sage painted by the talented, lovely Jade Webber. It arrived on one of those days when doubts were creeping into my writing, halting my progress with questions. The familiar critic was sounding off, deafening in my ears: Sure, you can write a few good scenes, but it's another matter to be able to write a good story and hold a reader's interest to the end. You already failed twice with MORNING SUN. You know that, right? Two completed drafts, and now you're attempting a third. Can you be taken seriously when you're a woman writing in the voice of a boy, son, soldier, and father? Even with your dad's journal and inspiring life to guide you, do you really believe you can save the story you're trying to write? Save yourself from more failures and put away this work of fiction. The Bear—so regal, wise, and calm—had something different to say. On the other side of him was a note from Jade, bringing me back to a place of trust: Think of this bear as a sage or a guide who will provide wise council at need.On that day I placed the Bear on my desk and in front of the computer screen. His presence, embodying the spirit of a sage and friend, encouraged me to write and not worry about getting each sentence in a perfect state. Keep writing. Keep going. For a long time my fingers remained frozen on the keyboard, my eyes staring at the messy page on the screen. The critic, retreating, was still there. The Bear, a steady force, pushed back the doubts with inner calm and strength. My fingers started to move across the keyboard, deleting the unnecessary scenes, connecting letters, forming words. A sentence appeared, then another. This time I did not judge what I had written. I looked up at the Bear and felt the presence of Jade, family, friends, followers, and readers. I listened to their council and kept going, kept writing. Each day I answered the critic. Word by word. I wrote. -Mia * A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily and VirtualDavis Daily Digest. May 2012. * * For readers interested in purchasing a limited print edition of Self Portrait of a Bear by Jade Webber, follow us here to Etsy. For more paintings from Jade, join us here at Art to Save Trees. Also visit Jade and her husband, Stephen Lloyd Webber, at their Wellness Immersion Retreats in Italy, Bali and the Caribbean, bringing together creative writers, painters, yoga practitioners, and those interested in sustainability, nature and self-development. These wonderful retreats give you time, space, and structure to work creatively. *
The sun is rising.
The ocean is speaking.
The moon is dreaming.
* THE MOMENTS BEHIND THE PHOTOS ABOVE (sun, ocean, moon, and wind from top to bottom)—Mia at the Shadowcliff in Grand Lake, Colorado for the 13th Annual Lighthouse Writers Retreat in 2010. She steps out to meet the sun. * Stephen Lloyd Webber (Mia's fantastic writing teacher at the Writing Immersion Retreat in Tuscany in 2011 and 2012) shares a breathtaking photo of the ocean near Heaven Hill in Big Sur, California, where he and his wife, Jade Webber, are building a private sanctuary for writers and artists. * At night walking with the moon, dreaming and imagining. * Mia remembers the moment from September 2009. She is on the mountains of Boreas Pass in Colorado, holding a prayer arrow. The wind is whispering. Mia closes her eyes and makes her wishes, trusting all will come to be. ** A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily and The Becoming Daily. May 2012. *
I WASN'T QUITE SURE about where I was going, only knowing I wanted to create a place to encourage our dreams, give voice to our wishes, and celebrate the joys that will always come from trying. That was two years and eleven days ago on March 15, 2010 when I launched my blog ( my Monday Musings). Since then I have met many wonderful people across the World Wide Web; saw my writing improve by being out there (here) with no safety nets; took flight by trying new things; beat back that small but sometimes persistent voice telling me to stop blogging for all kinds of reasons—real and imagined; listened and learned from my readers, fellow bloggers, and Twitter followers, who inspired me to see and create in new ways. As was the day (Thursday) when I stumbled upon Orie's wonderful blog post: Making the Ordinary Extraordinary. I reached out to Orie and thanked her for sharing her thoughts and celebrating the beauty of an imperfectly perfect life. I also wanted to let her know that her post was my week's surprise inside the orange gift box at Thursday Treasures. In an unexpected moment, I received an email from Orie full of sweetness and generosity. Her note filled me with gratitude. Today reading Orie's email below from 2010, I am inspired all over again. Thank you—readers, budding artists, bloggers, writers, aspiring dreamers, travelers, families, and friends—for being here and making this corner of the World Wide Web a special one. I treasure your presence, your dreams and aspirations, your daring to leap forward and take flight. It is you who makes this place special. Thank you for being part of the journey through the moments, travels, stories, treasures and dreams. From here to there. Let's Do. Dream. Believe. -Mia  SOUL SCRIBBLESan email from OrieSeptember 20, 2010 Hello Mia, I have been away from my computer for short while, and what a lovely surprise upon my return to find your comment of kind words on my blog post and a note from you here in my email as well. As you can see by my posts I am a new blogger and am still learning my way around the blogosphere, and so I cannot tell you how delighted I am that you thought my post would appeal to your readers. Being selected to be part of your 'Thursday Treasure' is encouragement for me to keep writing, to keep practicing courage and "leap fearlessly" towards this new journey. Thank you for this. Your website, ' four days a week', is a very special place that is both intriguing and inspirational. It feels like one of those cabinets with dozens of square drawers; each time you pull one open, there are the most interesting things inside, compelling you to open another drawer and then another, just to see what little treasures you may find. I look forward to come and browse often.
 Having read and enjoyed your post for Monday Musings, I must tell you my favourite part was the paragraph: I left my shoes behind and walked to Mom's garden, her heaven on earth. I stood for a moment and took in the breath of the morning air, my visit home. I dipped my toes into the soil, felt the roots of Mom's passion and love for the things that grow green and vibrant. The imagery and emotions this evokes is lovely; a truly fine piece of writing. Thank you again for visiting my blog and sharing it with your readers. Warm regards, Orie
 HELLO WORLD, my name is Naoko Stoop. I am a Brooklyn, New York based self-taught illustrator. I create childhood images in my loft studio. I’m trying to bring out the five-year old in people through my artwork. Because I believe that is the last moment before children start learning how complicated the world is, and that was when I once stopped drawing. It took me decades to come back to myself. Now? Here I am drawing everyday!
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL—a beautiful book full of delight and wonder is available at Barnes & Noble. Congratulations, Naoko! And thanks so much for sharing your journey and moments here with us. We love your book and look forward to the next one :-) -Mia
AT THE HEART of a photographer's passion for the art of seeing, a moment of truth and beauty. This week, sharing Donald Verger's note and wish below, and also the place behind the photograph above ~ the whispers of love. Thank you, Don, for this moment. -Mia
"When Don Verger first took up photography seriously, he asked me to review his early work. I studied it and told him he could be the next Ansel Adams. That's a true story, and the intervening years have proven me right. This talented, award-winning photographer is one of those once-in-a-lifetime artists whose work establishes their reputation for generations to come." -Daniel Cheever President Emeritus, Simmons College Art collector
A NOTE FROM DONALD VERGER
On his birthday this past weekend, celebrating friendships, art, and love—
Thank you all, my Friends all, travelers together on our small beautiful Spaceship Earth for your kind birthday wishes and so much more! Your Friendships and Love are so important to me! I wish you all peace health joy and beautiful days.
Days before Joplin, i found little Shashoni Wyoming, almost a ghost town. I wandered down an old street and found a beautiful large mural. A tiny portion of that mural held these words that i photographed carefully to honored them and their setting.
The words and the Image say—
"Put your ear to the sky
And listen my Darling,
Everything Whispers I love You."
I love you all.
Thank you all.
don
_Donald Verger was born in Brooklyn, New York and resides in Falmouth, Maine, just footsteps from the ocean, where he captures the early moments of nature's true splendor. His 2012 Love calendar above is available on Amazon (limited quantities left). For all his 2012 calendars (each celebrated with Don's beautiful photographs), click here. Connect with Don on Twitter, Facebook, and his blog. *Join us here next week on March 5, 2012 for more beautiful photographs by Donald Verger celebrating peace and hope, his Joplin Art Project. Until then, put your ear to the sky ...* *A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily and The Becoming Daily. February and March 2012. *
SOMETHING SPECIAL arrived last week—the beautiful handmade card above (created by Christina Vizcarra of My Paper, Scissors, Rocks!). It was tucked inside my mailbox, an unexpected treasure celebrating the moments from my friend, Rachel Gellman. She wrote inside: keep writing and smiling! Her note brightened the evening and brought a smile to my face. The spirit of the moment continued a few days later when another friend, Stan Stewart, was celebrating feeling alive. From that joy, Stan tweeted to Ivette López, Elizabeth Jackson, Donald Verger, Anita Bondi and me: What do you celebrate, today?A conversation began. We tweeted to each other our celebrations of the day: - Celebrating beauty and power of breath, friendships, and art. -Mia
- Meeting my daughter for lunch. -Don
- Just returned home. 300 miles. Wonderful time with Carolyn. Thank you! -Don
- 300 miles (and never far) for the ones you love. TY @Donaldverger for sharing the moment with us. -Mia
- Your story of a 300 mile trip for lunch with your daughter really made my day. TY -Stan
- Nice combination: road trip & family visit. -Ivette
- Exchanges like ours are why I stay on Twitter. Bless you! ((hugs)) -Anita
- I feel the same way @anitabondi does about exchanges like ours on Twitter. Hugs ... -Elizabeth
 We hope you'll join us in the comments or on Twitter and share with us (and each other) what you are celebrating. Together let's remember the moments. -Mia*If you love the handmade card above by Christina Vizcarra of My Paper, Scissors, Rocks! as much as we do, we'd be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to families and friends, or sharing it on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and everywhere you go. Thanks so much. * *A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily and The Becoming Daily. February 2012. *
ON THE STEPS OF SPANNOCCHIA, coming together on a writing retreat. Full of laughter and joy. In a moment of happiness, in the photo above. Did we really just meet? It seemed we have known each other all our lives, celebrating Fourth of July every summer with each other. Sharing secrets and sparkles, our writings and wishes. In Tuscany.
We listened to the murmurs of our hearts. We followed our dreams.
-Mia
Spannocchia History and Farmhouses from Spannocchia Foundation on Vimeo. Tenuta di Spannocchia is 12th-century organic agricultural estate and educational center located just outside Siena, in central Tuscany. Spannocchia hosts a residential farm internship program and education/enrichment programs focused on Tuscan culture and history for students and adults. Learn more about our efforts to encourage global dialogue about sustaining cultural landscapes for future generations by visiting www.spannocchia.org ✶ PHOTO ABOVE (top left by Josh Bowen): An inspired group of writers celebrating the Fourth of July on the steps of Spannocchia, last summer in the heart of Tuscany. From left to right: Melissa, Mia, Rachel, Melanie, and Michelle. For more moments and photos from their writing immersion retreat, click here. ✶ VIDEO ABOVE: Capturing the beauty and spirit of Spannocchia, home of the Writing Immersion in Sustainable Tuscany Retreat and much more.
Find a purpose in life so big it will challenge every capacity to be at your best.-Jim Loehr-Above photo by Tet Shimoda.From the White Rim Trail. Moab, Utah.
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