Category: Guest Bloggers

Guest Submission: Self Love by Bethany Kays

February 13, 2018

There is no magic equation that equals self love. There is a very simple awareness that takes you directly there.

I can best describe it like this:

I spent 2 years looking for a male bright red cardinal to take a photograph of. I finally found him and I took tons of photos of him. It wasn’t until after I took the photo that I thought about his mate. Cardinals mate for life. I wondered how many chased after the photo of the female not-so-bright-and-glamorous cardinal. So, I went out yesterday and I saw a female immediately. I took her photograph. It wasn’t a perfect picture. It was blurry actually. I cherish it though more than my 2 year sought after male cardinal picture. She was not showy. She was not very vocal. Yet she was beautiful and I absolutely loved her. I sat and watched her for a long time in my wheelchair under the branch she was on.

I’ve been looking for a particular camellia for the same amount of time. It is called the pink perfection. I finally spotted one a few days ago and next to it were equally beautiful camellias. I looked at how a few had raindrops, one had a ray of sunlight, and each was beautiful in their own way.

Today I took a picture of a Japanese magnolia bloom. It was the perfect bloom. As I took the picture I thought “THIS is a perfect bloom.” Next to it was an imperfect bloom. Yet, it was equally if not more beautiful in it’s imperfection.

When I think of self love, I think of the imperfect bloom of the Japanese magnolia, the female cardinal, and the Camellias. The way I feel when I look at them is how I feel about self love. I look at them and I see the beauty in every aspect of them. Seeing that beauty brings me joy. Where this is love and beauty and joy there is no room for hate or judgment.

Self love is recognizing, acknowledging, validating, and then loving all parts of one’s self. It is a pure, innocent, child-like love. For me, it is knowing that the same feeling I get when I see the wispy orange clouds, is the same gift I can give myself. That feeling of WOW that is beautiful, I can say about myself just as easily. The pure awe of beauty I feel in one moment in the sky, I can look into my own heart and give that love right back to myself. I am worthy. I am worth it. I deserve to be loved especially by my own self.

You can follow Bethany on her blog: https://bethanykays.com/ You’ll find a plethora of inspiring photographs taken by her as well as a wealth of stirring and encouraging words.

Guest Submissions Still Accepted

February 11, 2018

Just to let all of you know I am still accepting guest pieces for this month! I’m ever so grateful to those who have already submitted and I could use even more! Here’s what is expected:

Guidelines

I would like guest writers to compose a piece that is about having self-love or compassion for themselves.

This piece can be in poetry form, journal entry, or letter form but must be addressed to you, yourself, the writer.

As always there is a limit of 50 to 1700 words.

You can submit your piece to this email: michael.erickson512@gmail.com

So send them my way!

-M.E. InkOwl

Self-love: Imperfection

February 9, 2018

“You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”
― Brené Brown

Brene Brown holds a masters of social work and is a research professor for the University of Huston. For more than fifteen years she has been studying topics such as courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. You can learn more about Brene Brown by visiting her website here. Here are links to more of her published works on Amazon.com:

Guest Submission: Kingdoms and Phoenixes

February 8, 2018

All of these walls In this kingdom All of these fools,

All of these secrets

The velvety curtains Block out the sun

And the throne Has been claimed

By a thousand men

Yet My heart beats to rule

All of them

But I just hide

In a tower

Waiting For happiness

In my absence

They burned this kingdom down

And the smoke filled their lungs

So fast, they did run

But I was left inside

To burn

A crown in my hands,

And the potential filling my eyes

But the water they spewed

Was not enough

To keep this kingdom

From setting fire-

Where did I go

All wrong I loved with all my heart

So

Where did they all go

I wanted

To draw back these curtains

Make figures in the snow

Dance all night

Despite The bitter cold

But I just hid

In a tower

Waiting for happiness

To come in with the tide

When I peeked through the ash

To see the rising sun

I saw the fire in my wings

And so I did rise, again

To rule

My own Life

In my presence I reclaimed my throne

I rule with dignity and grace

To blaze

To inspire

And not misplace potential

-Chloe C. Salzetti

You can find more of Chloe’s writing at meb4imetu.tumblr.com

Guest Submission: SIXTY AND STILL GOING STRONG

February 7, 2018

Sixty years have passed.

My body, once supple and new,

Has regretfully decided

There are some things it now cannot do.

 

A handstand is one

Because my shoulders ache and creak,

I cannot shout at all and sundry,

Due to cancer my voice is weak.

 

I cannot sing, recite this poem,

Or perform lunges at the gym.

The knees tell me no more jogging,

And my eyesight is growing dim.

 

My back goes out more than I do,

And my hair is going grey.

I can’t sleep at night,

But doze with ease during the day.

 

Slimming club lady tells me to watch what I eat,

No more cake and less red meat.

She’s a meanie,

One day I’ll fit in that yellow bikini.

 

Yeah, I’m going to do it

I’m going to get fit.

I owe it to myself

To stop me being a miserable git.

 

I’m going to love myself,

All the aches and pains,

All the wrinkles and lines,

Before my enthusiasm wanes.

 

My body is a temple

I’m going to worship,

The lumps, bumps and cellulite,

That dodgy old hip.

You only get one body,

And I’ve got mine.

I can’t get away from it,

So I’ll treat it like vintage wine.

 

You’d best drink me now

Before I shuffle off.

I’m aged and mature,

But I’ve got a bit of cough!

-Stevie Turner

About the Author: https://about.me/stevie_turner/

Website http://www.stevie-turner-author.co.uk

Amazon page: http://bookShow.me/B00AV7YOTU

Blog:    https://steviet3.wordpress.com/

Guest Submission: Back to School

February 6, 2018

Back to school

 

It’s difficult with the small ones because they want to play

Sitting in silence like statues

The whole day,

It’s not for them.

They want to jump and scream and run

And their small feet move quicker than yours.

 

It’s difficult with the big ones because they have growing pains

They are changing inside and out

For years,

You know, you haven’t forgotten.

They want to talk and sleep and love

And they don’t see you need the same things.

 

It’s difficult to teach because you want to love them

Shouting and punishing

For hours,

Pains you more than them.

You dream to help, to grow to foster

Painful it is, you learn by doing.

-Fanni Suto

 

Fanni SütőI’m from Hungary, but I live in France.I don’t really remember the exact moment when I started writing, it’s always been part of my life. It became something serious during high school. My realistic dream is to finally finish a novel (in Hungarian or in English.) My unrealistic dream is to have my stories made into a BBC series and to meet Neil Gaiman and have a writer to writer talk.

You can read more of Fanni’s writing on her website www.inkmapsandmacarons.com.

 

Guest Submissions Wanted

January 31, 2018

Last call for guest features!

If you’re reading this today and you’d like to submit a piece, feel free to contact me and I can extend the date.

I feel like this is an important part of life as a writer. So often we critique our work and revise our words, it can be frustrating and disconcerting. So for February, I’d like to brush up on our skills of self-love.

As defined by Merriam-Webster online dictionary self-love is regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.

Guidelines

I would like guest writers to compose a piece that is about having self-love or compassion for themselves.

This piece can be in poetry form, journal entry, or letter form but must be addressed to you, yourself, the writer.

As always there is a limit of 50 to 1700 words.

You can submit your piece to this email: michael.erickson512@gmail.com

Submissions will close after February 1st.

-M.E. InkOwl

Guest Submissions Wanted

January 19, 2018

Just a reminder that the Ink Owl is calling for more guest submissions! Here are the guidelines below:

This year I’d like to shake things up with a new challenge, one that will hopefully test your limits as a writer. This month I would like submissions to be about self-love. Not self-obsession, narcissism, or conceitedness, but actual, genuine self-love.

As defined by Merriam-Webster online dictionary self love is: regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.

Guidelines

I would like guest writers to compose a piece that is about having self-love or compassion for themselves.

This piece can be in poetry form, journal entry, or letter form but must be addressed to you, yourself, the writer.

As always there is a limit of 50 to 1700 words.

You can submit your piece to this email: michael.erickson512@gmail.com

Submissions will close on February 1st.

I look forward to your submissions!

-M.E. InkOwl

Guest Submissions Wanted

January 12, 2018

Calling out to all writers and bloggers who would like to be featured for the month of February! The Ink Owl will be once again taking submissions from guest bloggers and writers to be featured throughout the month of February. (Let’s see how many times I can reword that statement.) Anyway, I always call February the “Month of Love” because it’s never a lovely month to me. I feel like I always end up slogging through the month with all the gray melting snow and bare trees. But not this year!

This year I’d like to shake things up with a new challenge, one that will hopefully test your limits as a writer. This month I would like submissions to be about self-love. Not self-obsession, narcissism, or conceitedness, but actual, genuine self-love.

As defined by Merriam-Webster online dictionary self love is: regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.

Guidelines

I would like guest writers to compose a piece that is about having self-love or compassion for themselves.

This piece can be in poetry form, journal entry, or letter form but must be addressed to you, yourself, the writer.

As always there is a limit of 50 to 1700 words.

You can submit your piece to this email: michael.erickson512@gmail.com

Submissions will close on February 1st. (I usually end up extending it.)

You’re probably scratching your head, or at the least scrolling through to someone else’s post, but I hope you stop and consider participating. I think each of us could use a little more compassion for ourselves, and we learn best by doing.

-M.E. InkOwl