Quiddity

I learned a new word yesterday while reading chapter 1 of Life is a Verb. Quiddity. What is quiddity? I'm glad you asked :). Quiddity is the inherent nature or essence of someone or something. I like that word. It reminds me of the word serendipity. It's fun to say, and I like what it means. In the book, Patti Digh describes quiddity as the whatness of something. What is my whatness? I think. I notice. I listen. I wonder. I'm curious. I ask questions. Lots of questions. I hate secrets. I don't hide things or keep things in. I tell stories. I speak truth. I laugh hard. I'm courageous. I sing with words and sounds and harmonies. I dance. And I write. I like the whatness that came to mind when God made me :).

Two quotes that made me think yesterday:

1. "The pen is the tongue of the mind." - Miguel de Cervantes (quoted in The Writer's Little Instruction Book by Paul Raymond Martin)

Some people speak their words. I do too. But I really love writing my words, and it's important not to let anyone make me feel like something is wrong with me because they would rather have me express my thoughts and feelings the way they do. This is my way of being. Part of my quiddity. It allows me to be more thoughtful and reflective. Not impulsive. I like to ponder and make word pictures, and that's a good thing. 

2. "Writing is like breathing, it's possible to learn to do it well, but the point is to do it no matter what." - Julia Cameron, The Writer's Life: Insights from The Right to Write (my mom gifted this book to me in 2005 :).

This has deeper meaning to me now that I've been practicing meditation. I didn't realize how shallow my breathing was until I started focusing on my breaths - inhaling . . . holding . . . exhaling. In order to exhale for a count of eight, there has to be enough air in my lungs, so I need to breathe more deeply. It's harder to fill my lungs than I thought. I'm learning to breathe better now, and I'm writing every day. Some days I'll write a lot. Some days, not so much. The important thing is to keep writing.