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Post by lynneheins on Mar 10, 2019 20:08:51 GMT
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maura
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by maura on Mar 18, 2019 0:17:01 GMT
Lynne, I really enjoyed the humor in your piece! Yet, that vulnerable feeling can come up at any time in life and feels so serious. I love the line "Perhaps feeling vulnerable is part of life, but, please, get it over quickly." So true! Also, "I am wearing the badge of self-inflicted imposed criticism and unreasonable expectations. This identity I have worn many times before." I can so relate. I liked the journey of wanting to give up on the class, but also trying to win your teacher and classmates over with humor. And that in the end, you didn't take it so seriously but made it through anyway. Great details, like the elderly man at the end of the story. That emphasized not taking it so seriously but still trying very nicely.
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Post by saburcat on Mar 28, 2019 17:25:37 GMT
Lynne,
As someone who also resets to humor in the face of fear and other people, I connected with this piece. Your humor shows through immediately, before we even get to the part where you say you use it. It's almost like I'm standing in the class watching you clown around and hope it's enough to boost your confidence. And the tension between that humor and you knowing that it's a defense mechanism, like it's something you can't really control and you're glad you have it, but you also kind of wish you could just be "normal" like everyone else...even though every single other person in that room was at one point the "new" beginner. And then, bringing in the older man at the end; not just but signing up for the class again while wondering why the hell you're doing it...I think the same thing every time I'm huffing and puffing up the side of a mountain, telling myself how strong my heart is getting, and also asking myself, "what the fuck is wrong with you," and yet knowing I'll do it again in a week...we KNOW we want to be in these places, but we also know it's work, it's hard work, and we don't always want to do the hard work. But when you start the new class and the older man is now the "new" kid...it's a full-circling for you but also a reminder that we were all the new kid at one point.
You have great imagery and words as well, "the mothballed image of myself at age seven," "the banging in unison with my classmates...striking the floor -is a form of percussion," "My classmates suddenly warm up to me, or rather, I let them in," "My Raggedy Ann arms dangle at my sides now that we must combine arm movements and outrageous claps." So many, but those are just a few of my favorites. And the "classmates warm up to me, or rather, I let them in," again hits me hard...even though this is a light piece overall, you definitely bring in some deep moments.
Louise
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