Menna Van Praag's Blog, page 32

teaching & learning…

I had such an inspirational final lesson with my students on Saturday. I was teaching a lesson about editing and, in the midst of it, one of my students (the lovely Leah) shared a saying: “Don’t let perfect get in the way of good” (Voltaire) – brilliant, right? When I was a student (at Oxford, where the pressure to be perfect was pretty high) I was virtually paralysed in my striving to be perfect. I couldn’t write anything because it was never good enough. I edited every sentence ten thousand times and never made it past the first paragraph. When at last I let go of that I was able just to be myself, to be a perfect me, which is all any of us can ever be.

Pic: me & my new PJs – I’m never taking them off

Happy Thanksgiving!

Of course, not being American, I don’t celebrate this day – at least not with turkey & pumpkin pie – though I wouldn’t object But I do love a day dedicated to being thankful. In my experience, feeling grateful is one of the best feelings there is, and well worth cultivating. It’s all about attitude and awareness, of course, all about what you bring your attention to. I find, if I focus on the future then I too easily get caught up worry about what I don’t have, but when I being present I automatically feel grateful for whatever I have in front of me – no matter how big or small – and, suddenly, whatever I don’t have no longer matters at all…

Pic: my two greatest gratitudes – those are my husband’s legs

An Ode to Friendship

My inspirational experience of friendship yesterday reminded me that we all – wherever we are in life – need friends who connect with us over a passion for life and a belief that we can do everything we dream of doing. Such people are quite rare and ought to be cherished for the stars that they are. We all lose sight of our light from time to time and, if we want to keep shinning, we need to cultivate connections with people who uplift and inspire us – then we too can light the way for others in turn. I’m deeply grateful for such people in my life and I hope to be such a person for as many other people as I can possibly meet!

Pic: a sweet photo of friendship from this time, last year: Emma, Artur & Oscar, Me, Idilia & Christian.

Today I was about to sit down and start writing when a fr...

Today I was about to sit down and start writing when a friend called, inviting me to come and eat cake. Needless to say, I couldn’t resist. Actually, I was rather grateful for the excuse to avoid the blank page since I’d hit a bit of a block the day before and found myself a rather stuck on the story. Halfway through my large and delicious slice of cake, I asked my friend for help. I told her the story so far. She listened. We started talking. Magic happened. The air sparkled with inspiration, fireworks exploded, fairies giggled and I did a happy dance all the way home. After playing with O and putting him to bed, I returned to the computer and haven’t stopped writing since… So, my advice, if you’re ever stuck on something, call a good-listening friend and go eat cake – thank you Ashley, you’re an angel!

Pic: Melt, Notting Hill. One of the best cafes/chocolateries, anywhere, ever.

New Book

A sneak peek at page one! A new book is coming into the world… watch this space

Inspiration

It’s amazing what can happen when you give up trying to make it happen. I recently started writing a new book. Only I haven’t really felt like doing much writing. I’ve felt like going for walks and watching films, I’ve felt like mulling and musing on ideas… Only, much of this time, I’ve been thinking I should be getting on with writing, that I’m wasting time when I really ought to be working. (aren’t those should thoughts such a joy? And yet, I’ve also trusted that I’m doing the right thing, I’ve believed that inspiration will come. And tonight, it did. I was watching a film and knitting and – all of a sudden – inspiration struck. Big time. And now I don’t have to tell myself I should be writing, now I’m so excited to tell this story, I won’t be able to stop myself…

Pic: hanging out on the sofa with O

I went for a little Christmas shopping trip today and, se...

I went for a little Christmas shopping trip today and, seeing about a million things I’d love to buy but sadly my budget doesn’t extended quite that far. Anyway, as I perused the pretty shops, I got to thinking about wealth and how the word doesn’t just cover what’s in our bank balance. We might not be as rich as we’d like but might be truly wealthy in friendship, love, inspiration, health… And yet, sometimes we can overlook these things because we’re so busy trying to get what we don’t have. So today I just enjoyed looking at all the pretty things, thinking of all the people I love and being grateful for everything I’ve got – it was a beautiful afternoon.

Pic: a little Christmas fairy I found in Podarok, Cambridge. Isn’t she gorgeous

Have you heard of The Jane Austen Project? Six brilliant...

Have you heard of The Jane Austen Project? Six brilliant authors are updating JA’s novels, beginning with Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope. It’s causing a bit of a scandal here in England, but I must say I’m rather enjoying this one! Check it out and let me know what you think…

“If you knew Time as well as I do,” said the Hatter, “you...

“If you knew Time as well as I do,” said the Hatter, “you wouldn’t talk about wasting IT.” – Lewis Carroll

Tonight I was chatting with a friend about her daughter going to 6th Form College (she wants to go to the same one I attended) and I suddenly realised I went there 20 years ago. 20 years! I couldn’t quite believe it. Time is such a strange thing. How can something feel like a hundred years ago and just yesterday, all at once? But it was a great reminder to be grateful for every day and not waste a single moment, to go for what you want, to not put off your dreams and desires for another day. Because we never know when our last day will be and we are so lucky to have this one. Let’s honour this gift of life by filling it with as much passion and love and joy as we possibly can!

Tonight I had the absolute pleasure of speaking to a grou...

Tonight I had the absolute pleasure of speaking to a group of gorgeous writers (students of my lovely friend, Ruthie Collins) about my experiences as a writer. It was wonderful. So much fun. They asked loads of great questions and I had an inspiring time answering them. It’s funny to think that I used to be terrified of public speaking and could never imagine doing it, let alone enjoying it. But then I used to be terrified of driving – of even the idea of driving – and yet I spent the afternoon stuck in traffic jams on motorways It’s funny how our ideas about ourselves, and what we’re capable of, are complete crap. Our limited thoughts bare no relation to the truth. And the truth is that we are all infinitely brilliant beings, able to do absolutely we truly want to do. The possibilities are endless…

Pic: the Acqua Alta bookshop in Venice, taken by my father this morning. I must visit this place!