Author María J. Estrada
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Un Blog de Writing Musings

Appreciating the Old:  Why Upgrade All the Time?

2/12/2016

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Picture
I would love to sit and write there, with the kids playing on the grass, and my husband sleeping somewhere.
Today, I was reflecting on building up my best qualities.  Everybody wants to change and improve nowadays.  It’s like we want to upgrade ourselves or refresh our status, in real life.  I am not saying people shouldn’t change for the better, if they have an addiction or a nasty habit, which I believe everyone has to some degree. 

Instead, why not develop our best qualities?  Like those things called virtues no one really talks about anymore?  I was reminded of this when a friend commented on how generous I am.  I suppose that is true, but lately, I haven’t had much time to be generous.  I would like to focus on the best aspects of myself, like the part of me that loves to read or the one that loves to cook.  The one that loves to pray constantly in a way that isn’t rushed. 

We are so focused on what is wrong with us that we neglect to focus on what is right with us, and we all have good in us.  We just forget in the din of daily tech and just the constant chatter.  Turn off that shitty internal critic.

I was told by a priest recently to carry the monastery in my heart.  I love that image; it reminds me of the picture above.

That will be my goal this Advent season:  To really find inner peace and not let the fucked up world mess with that.  I also want to focus on developing three characteristics that I appreciate about myself.  That is all.

Anyway, I haven’t written much, but I did re-purpose my other blog:  Border-ed Writing and Teaching.  I want to focus on the teaching of creative writing and the themes I use in class.  That way, I will give myself some space to reflect and also post resources.  Blogger is interesting because it doesn’t connect as well to social media like Weebly, but it does a great job of showcasing other blogs.  I enjoy other designs.

I have also been exploring other professional Weebly sites, and besides that dated picture of myself, I am still OK with the old school design.  Not everything has to be so damned flashy. 

Here’s to appreciating vintage and the best qualities in yourself.  Fuck all these other pressures and be the best human being you are, right now.

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    Jesú Estrada
    Pen Name: 
    María J. Estrada
    Chicago, IL

    You follow me everywhere @drmariajestrada, except Twitter.
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    *********************
    MARIA J. ESTRADA is an English college professor of Composition, Literature, and her favorite, Creative Writing. She grew up in the desert outside of Yuma, Arizona in the real Barrio de Los Locos, a barrio comprised of new Mexican immigrants and first-generation Chicanos. Drawing from this setting and experiences, she writes like a loca every minute she can—all while magically balancing her work and family obligations. She lives in Chicago’s south side with her wonderfully supportive husband, two remarkable children, and a menagerie of animals.

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  • Home
  • Mi Biografía
  • My Patreon Page
  • Un Blog de Writing Musings
  • Author Interviews
    • Grayson Bell
    • Eric Allen Yankee
    • Mehreen Ahmed
    • Steve Carr
    • Martin Eastland
    • P.S. Malcolm
    • P.C. Darkcliff
  • The Harvested Draft
  • Books
  • Poetry
  • Useful Bits
  • Contact