Ava McAllister

I was considering submitting an article for a motherhood magazine but I just never considered myself with a mother’s intuition. It just so happened I had a close interaction with a special needs child at work and it really opened my eyes about the meaning of a motherly instinct or in my case woman’s intuition. I brought my stickers because I knew he would be fascinated with the colors. I used the pop gel because I felt he would really enjoy the noise as I used it with application of electrodes. I made a game out of the cannula that I used and played as if we were on a special mission. I had to switch out my video for a sponge bob to keep his eyes distracted during the completion of my task. When I completed my task in preparing this child for his procedure he gave me the biggest hug and though he could not speak I knew that he was grateful and the smile on his face just melted my heart. His mother thanked me for knowing her baby and trying to relate to him without saying a word. This experience helped me to know a child on another level. I was able to draft a story about a mother’s day in dealing with a special needs child and how she works every day to know her child better despite the obstacles. When you are writing for a child take time to gauge their thoughts and needs and you will be surprised that you know more than you give yourself credit for. Happy Writing!!!!

My writing was never viewed by myself as something that was necessary in my life. I had a dream that I had this monstrous story that needed to be recorded. I ignored this and as I was driving it was as if I saw visions before me of scenes and ways that it could become more real and tangible in written prose. It felt as if the people that I encountered were giving phrases of quotes that were going to become prominent in my story. After arriving at my destination with my pad in hand I did a little essential writing. In this I mean I recorded the essential parts of my day to create something significant out of the encounters of every day that I casually took for granted. I created a cool short story about how temptation is at all levels and your ability to refuse and follow your own path can truly be rewarding. It took all day for me to realize that pleasure can be derived from the beautiful stories in my mind. Try this with a normal day of casual encounters and you will be surprised what happens.

Today I had the compulsion to write about someone I knew but passed away recently. Do you ever have that person that sees more in you than you see in yourself? The person that mentally collects all of the cute things that you do unconsciously and can read back your achievements and startle you that someone observes your greatness. Take that person and magnify that person 20 times and that is the amount of people that go into the world and sing your stories. Take a minute and write down some significant events that you treasure and share them with others. You may have so much inside of you that you take for granted daily. They are not real stories if they are not exposed to someone. You have people out there who could really benefit from your work no matter the topic. Writing and sharing heals all parties. I feel your spirit moving challenging you to release something beautiful so you can touch others. There are stories within you and it’s time to breathe life into them. Take the first step of courage and bask in the light of sharing as the spirit of life lies in all of us and it’s time to bring your joys to the world!!!!!

I just took a look outside the window and saw the beautiful Connecticut skyline with day breaking and the sun making its wonderful march against the sky. I feel joy in just witnessing our beautiful mornings and what they offer us to bring to the world. What can I do today–work on a haiku, or a creative short story with a teary end. How about a runner’s lament of tripping over his shoelaces two steps before the finish line–Ava McAllister copyright–just kidding. Let your ideas flow and allow the first thought that comes to mind pop on paper and do something funky to it to make your story shine. As we all know originality is the best medicine when the melancholy winter blues has you down. I smell some adrenaline—Now run!!!!!!! Happy Winter Writing!!!!!!!!!!

Today is a day that I am reminded of how blessed we are to be living, walking and breathing and wonderfully present. I read a story today on Cafe Mom by Jeanne Sager called “Cutie with Down Syndrome Will Change How You See Special Needs” about this beautiful baby named Maddie McClintic. Her mom posted this wonderful video on you tube that shows how normal and wonderful her precious baby is despite her Down Syndrome diagnosis. She is absolutely adorable in her little outfit. Her mom uses flashcards to help others see how wonderful and well loved this baby is despite others insensitivities in calling her baby a mongoloid or retard–how abominable and inhumane she is a child for goodness sakes. I was in tears looking at the beautiful pictures her mom posted of her journey from birth to present. Check out their website if you have time and you will witness why we need to be so grateful for our children and children in general as they give us so much to be grateful for. I just wanted to pinch her cheeks myself. http://www.mcclinticfamily.com/McClintic_Family/Growing.html#26.

It’s strange but you can find the best niche for your writing by accident. You have to gauge what type of observer that you represent in the scheme of things. Are you the quiet listener that absorbs and just processes the whole issue without judgement? Are you the active listener that processes but actually analyzes to help with a conclusion? Are you a keen observer that finds every positive lining no matter how murky the situation? Are you the fervent pessimist observer that only sees dark with no hope of light? These are just examples of different types of people in the spectrum of things. Sit down and analyze how you see the world and the people in it and you will find the genre of writing that suits you best. Happy Writing—Ava!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone keeps commenting on videos. I don’t have any videos on my blog. There are other Ava McAllister’s out there who may have an author platform but I am just blogging. Just keeping the air clear about who is who. I have nothing on myspace, twitter or facebook at this time so I am clearing the confusion about who some of you are referring to. I am truly happy for all writers and I encourage their freedoms but individual expression and authenticity are very important to me. Thanks, Ava McAllister.

I have found that writing can be a daily journey discovering more things about yourself than you never realized were present. Think about the moment when your at the cafe having a latte, coffee or cappuccino with someone significant or a casual friend and you make the statement that is so you on a regular basis–”Welcome to your style”. Speak in the tone that represents your nature and your mark on the world. I happen to be a little rough around the edges but I love revealing my powerful thoughts to inspire even more. I learned that keeping it bottled inside only adds to the torture of depriving others of a well valued lesson. I had a fabulous comment from a blogger that said “You are expressing how you feel because it’s what you feel inside. It’s not for others to judge or confine your mode of expression but simply do what comes to your true self”. I feel like that comment made me proud to write and not let others inhibit my style. If you are not a fan of my form of expression I’ll take that as there are more than plenty other blogs to choose from to read. This is the message–if you feel an idea–go with it. If you are inspired live in it. We are in a moment of freeing ourselves from others constraints so revel in your own style and create your wonderful work. Happy Writing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never realized the importance of reflection and reviewing works written by myself over the past two years. I had books filled with notes of cool ideas that I had treated as if they were insignificant. I checked my sketch books and found some charcoal sketches that gave me the perfect scene for a romantic short story I was working on. I went through an old journal and found a hilarious scene about a child putting roller skates on her dog in the cold winter that I witnessed outside. I remember the entry about how angry I was about my rocky road 2 scoop falling to the ground and my neighbor cracking up at my dilemma. I still get mad about that one. It’s as if these things could really give way to some good kids scenes or the beginning of some wild adventure. Cheerio for now–Happy writing!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never believed a friend of mine that reminded me that “speech is silver but silence is golden”. When you are in the midst of the daily bustle of a hectic workday take a moment to observe your surroundings. I was traveling on the train in New York, the place of my birth and it amazed me at how many different types of people occupied the same space but represented many different facets of society. I saw the broker reading The Wall Street Journal engrossed in the business section predictions for stocks that would escalate. I saw a mother holding her daughter’s hand to take her to a dance recital that they were nervously discussing. I saw a group of teens happily going to Manhattan to go to Ray’s Pizza in the Village. I saw a homeless man riding for the umpteenth time from beginning to end until the traffic cops come on to make him get off. There I sat forgetting my purpose for riding and actually missing my stop in Brooklyn. I actually rode to Far Rockaway where the sound of the water helped me gather my thoughts. Thanks for silence it just gave me room for some new story observations. Give it a go bloggers!!!!!!!!!!!!!