[Afternoon Delight] June Light
Contemplation. Community. Creativity. This Sunday, June 19 at 3 pm ET
First, a prologue…
Are you wondering what the heck these Afternoon Delights even are?
Last fall, I was easing back into work after brain surgery to remove a (benign!) skull tumor. Contemplation, creativity and community were balms that helped heal me, and I wanted to share the love.
“What if I host a monthly get-together that combines all three?” I thought. We could ponder and write, share, be seen, be heard, and delight in an exploration, together.
Now, here we are, months later!
The gatherings are intimate. Engaged. Often poignant. Always enriching.
I look forward to every single one and relish in the glow afterward.
Participants have said I’m great at bringing lovely, kind, generous people together and the creative prompts allow them to write and express themselves in a way they haven’t in years, or maybe ever.
Read on for musings on this month’s theme and the link to attend!
Ah, summer...
Light. That's what I love most about this season. The longer days. The warmer quality, in all senses. The life-giving force.
The sense of delight feels so much more present, prolific.
For me, summer light and delight mean morning coffee on my back deck. The cat stretched belly out on dew-soaked grass to watch the chipmunks, eyes darting, paws twitching, captivated.
It's the pop of deep purple, orange, rust and yellow blooms spilling over the top of an old milk can that draws my eye.
It's three flavors of gelato in a cup: tart raspberry, dark-dark chocolate with cherry, and nearly neon pistachio. Each little plastic spoonful a burst of magic on my tongue.
It's a book of poems in the morning. Mary Oliver's Devotions for reflections on the complexity and simplicity of nature and life. Gillian Sze’s Quiet Night Think for contemplations on language, the shaping of thoughts and existence.
A novel in the evening. Fabio Morábito’s Home Reading Service, with its irony and oddities. (And an upcoming podcast episode with translator Curtis Bauer!) Mira Jacob’s The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing, with its Suriani family dynamics.
Long spells of each in the shade any time I can.
I would live in eternal early summer if I could.
What does summer light offer you? What delights?
Join me to connect, to share what lights each of us up, and play with the written word, this Sunday, June 19 at 3 pm ET for our Afternoon Delight!
Note: It'll be the last live edition until fall, so I extra hope you can join me!
For July and August, I'll send a contemplation and a creative prompt for you to explore as part of your summer fun, and you can always connect with me here! The plan is to then resume our live gatherings in September.
Sunday, June 19 at 3 pm ET
Meeting ID: 892 5282 6610
Passcode: 778007
Confirm your local time here!
Reminder:
There's no cost. No RSVP required. Simply click the link above to attend.
Come exactly as you are, with an open heart, curious mind, paper and pen(cil).
~Lisa
Lisa Carter is Founder and Creative Director of Intralingo, helping authors and translators write and readers explore stories. Lisa brings two decades of professional literary experience, including nine books and multiple other pieces published in translation, and nearly as many years of contemplative and compassion practices to her work. Her inclusive, engaged, caring presence inspires people to share their stories, create new ones and feel truly heard.
Thank you to ECW Press for the review copy of Quiet Night Think, by Gillian Sze!
We often receive free books from publishers, authors and/or translators, and will always identify when that is the case. Recommendations are never paid. They are offered only when we genuinely want to share a book with you. Any links to the Intralingo store on Bookshop.org are affiliate links and may earn us a small commission on your purchase, at no extra cost to you. Bookshop is currently only available to US customers.