Petering Out
This post started out as a “Quotes from the Masters: Barrie.” James Matthew Barrie was the author of Peter Pan, so straight away I am giving you a bad pun (and really, aren’t all puns bad puns?) but I couldn’t help myself. The truth is, I have been petering out. This is my first post in two weeks, and I have not been spending much time playing in the blogosphere lately, either–I’ve barely managed to push a like button every now and then. So I decided to finally and formally announce a small sabbatical; I am taking some time to focus on other writing endeavors. Still, I’ll pop by your site every now and then, and I’ll be back to the posting on my own site, eventually.
In the meantime, dear readers, you have told me that you’ve been enjoying this blog’s foray into Scotland of late and that you have been enjoying the weekly quotes as well, so I’m going out with some quotes from a Scot and some photos of the Scottish Highlands. (In fact, I think that this photo was taken near a whiskey distillery, and that’s about as Scottish as you can get).
One of the genuine pleasures of doing my Quotes from the Masters series has been the reading of so many wonderful lines and sayings by truly brilliant people, and reading through the J.M. Barrie quotes have been particularly delightful for me. I have learned so much. Did you know, for instance, that “When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies,” or that “All the world is made of faith, trust, and pixie dust.”? (Both quotes from Peter Pan)
So, I was having difficulty choosing a quote from Barrie. I could have used something whimsical, or I could have moved towards something inspirational. In Barrie’s story The Little White Bird (in which Peter Pan made his first literary appearance,) one character offers a now famous suggestion, “Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight: always try to be a little kinder than is necessary?” In this story we are also told that “The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.”
But, this ended up as not quite a Quotes from the Masters post, but more of a Quotes before Vacation post, and I am reminded that “The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story and writes another…” (J.M. Barrie). So for now, I leave you with that. I am off to write another story.
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- Posted in: Quotes from the Masters
- Tagged: Barrie, blogging, europe, fairies, faith, inspiration, J.M.Barrie, James Matthew Barrie, kindness, Peter Pan, Quotes from the Masters, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, The Little White Bird, writing
Bringing Europe Home 
Hope the writing’s going well, Robin. I’m late to the party as ever. Enjoy your life. There’s just the one, isn’t there? Good luck for the future.
Nice to hear from you, Jo! I appreciate your kind wishes, and I do hope to return to the blogosphere eventually–I’ve just realized that I need to focus my time and energy elsewhere at the moment. I thank you for stopping by, and I wish you all the best in your restless adventures!
I just realized that you took a blogging break while I was taking a break from my own. Hurry back, we miss you!
Elisa
Thanks so much, Elisa. I hope your break was just the thing–mine is very productive, and that’s what I was hoping for! I will be back, one of these days, popping in to see your fabulous photos and posting again here. Now–I hope you’re enjoying this gorgeous weather we’re having! 😉
Robin, I will miss you and your Quotes from the Masters!! Please enjoy your sabbatical and know that I will be happy to hear from your when you return to the blogging world. Blessings always! Jamie 🙂
Thank you so much, Jamie. I hope all is well in your world.
Good for you! Blogging and reading blogs takes so . . . much . . . time . . .
I wonder what I could have accomplished over the past 8 months if I didn’t take up blogging. I probably could have restored a classic car, painted the Golden Gate Bridge, or learned how to tune a piano.
We will miss you!
Thank you kindly, Robin. And–indeed, you could have done all those things! Besides being a time-suck, the blogging became too much of a distraction for me–so I had to elimiate it for a while. Thanks for stopping by, Robin, and I’ll be checking on you and your incredible daughter via your posts, from time to time.
Have a great adventure. Will miss you and look forward to your return
I love thinking of this time as an adventure–thanks, Good! And best to you, as well.
Love Barrie and I think the quote you ended up with is perfect! Enjoy your focus on other projects 🙂 (But don’t stay away too long 🙂 )
Thank you kindly, Kenley.
I’ve really enjoyed taking part in your “quotes” series! Enjoy your break (although you’ll still be writing)… 🙂
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the quotes series, Meg. I’ll be sure to check in on your travels, in the interim. 😉
Love that photo!!!
So glad, Moira!
I have missed you and dropped by today to see how you’ve been! I’ll be missing you my late night partner in crime. I believe knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing when to start and keep going. You’ll be missed and just know that I’ll be here waiting when you return. Have a good rest and blessings on your book writing! HUGS. Shaz
Well, you know I’ve been thinking about you, each night as I attempt to be in bed by 10:00! I’m getting better, Sharon–really, I am!
You have offered soothing words of wisdom, as always: “knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing when to start and keep going.” I thank you sincerely for that. I do hope to return sooner, rather than later, and I look forward to meeting up with my blogging buddies once again–thanks for being there!
I wish you a good break, and will be hoping for your return. Sometimes blogging takes too much time, especially if one try to answer every comment seriously. Now that you have announced your break, why not just turn of the comments at your dashboard, and then post a photo occationally,- to keep the blog alive?
Good luck. 🙂
Thank you for your good wishes and your suggestion. That just might work…!
We shall miss you of course, but you should do what you think is best for you. Your writing should of course be your priority. Take your time Robin, and good luck with your books 🙂
I appreciate that, Madhu. In the meantime, keep it up over there at The Urge to Wander–your words and photographs are exquisite.
I will miss your posts, but I completely understand. Take a break and I wish you luck with your writing. It’s good to know when you need to step back and refocus on your dreams. enjoy your time away! And I love the quotes. I walked by his house in London this weekend.
Thank you so much, TBM. I like the way you put the bit about refocusing on dreams!
Take time out, enjoy your life, smell different roses … we’ll remember you, and enjoy it when you come back. 🙂
I appreciate that very much, Wanderlust. Thank you, kindly.
🙂
“To have faith is to have wings”, I like it. Faith and vision I believe will guide us through life. Enjoy your break, your book will keep you busy.
I publish my blogs once a week, I think it is sufficient for being visible and being able to do my work too. I kept the same schedule of publishing once a week during the time I was developing my three books. It gave me the chance to diverge from the subject of the book in the making and to visit with my followers.
Thank you Valentina. I have cut down on the posting over the summer, but has still been too much–I’ll see how things change once school starts again. I do love that quote too–it’s a good one to keep in mind!
Good luck with your new endeavor
Thank you, as always, for your enthusiasm, Valentina.
Have a wonderful vacation and many thanks for all the great quotes!
Thank you, Sue, and I’m glad you like the quotes.
Robin what a wonderful quote to leave us with! I know just how you feel; I just went a week without a post and it was wonderful! I never know how you find the time to do all that you do and am so excited for you to get to work on your other writing! If only I could make myself do the same! I will miss your posts but think it’s a wonderful decision. Best of luck!! 🙂
That’s so kind of you, Kerry. I do appreciate your enthusiasm and good wishes. Speaking of–are you still taking that writing course?
The course is on its summer break, during which I was planning to sit down and really get to work on my first draft and submitting class work into competitions. So far, I haven’t put much effort into accomplishing what I set out to do, but the summer’s not over yet right?! 🙂
It seems like you’ve accomplished a lot, Kerry: a trip to the Continent, lots of Olympic viewing, and a few terrific parties. Wow! Now, breathe for a minute, and get to the writing. 😉
Hope you enjoy your time away! And thank you for following my blog too!
Thank you and you’re welcome, Peter. I enjoy reading about your adventures from adman to diaperman!
Loved the quotes, but sad to see you go, and look forward to your return. Enjoy a productive, and at the same time, relaxing spell.
Thank you so much, Valerie. I will!
Robin, I’ll miss you! But it is totally understandable – have perfect faith and may you fly. I’ll be awaiting your return.
Thank you for that, Lynne. I do have that faith…(and I’m looking for a pinch of pixie dust, for good measure).
Happy vacation and thank you for choosing one of my favourite plays as your topic for the masters. Heavenly!!!
Thanks, Girl. And…how could I not!
Will miss your post, Robin! Writing a book and articles consume lots of time and energy…
Thank you, Amy. I hope that I will put my time and energy to good use.
OH I am so racked off with WP. I clicked on your name to see if you had posted recently and you had, but did it come up in reader? Of course not 😦 So sorry for my tardy arrival.
A break is always good like my summer hours – ie I’m basicallyy doing once a week in August, but as you said, commenting on others. Maybe you might want to think about doing that as I will miss your posts. (Selfish me or what?!!). To be practical, if you take an unspecified bloghol people drift away, which is sad, so do bear that in mind.
And one day, I might even manage your challenge, so you need to keep posting that if only to get me to play!
Don’t worry, Roughseas–you showed up at just the right time. 😉 I do sincerely appreciate your selfishness (and I will keep it in mind).
Yes, I’m concerned about the drifting, but I am having trouble striking the right balance. The school year is about to start again, so I’ll see how that affects my writing time. And I must tell you, that the image of you waiting in Gib for me to post one of my challenges just might be the thing to keep me at those quotes. So, thank you for the encouragement.
Sometimes a break is necessary to get our minds back into play – enjoy your world my friend 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you, dear Choc Chip Uru.
Oh Robin, I shall miss you! But I understand completely – blogging takes up far too much of my time too… I hope the writing goes well for you and one day I hope to read that book on your time in Germany! 😉
Cathy, you are so kind. I appreciate your words of encouragement and support, and I’ll be stopping by your site often, as it is such a pleasant place to be.
Robin, Good luck with your break and with your writing. Will look forward to your return.
Thanks so much, Shari! I do appreciate that.
Everyone needs a sabbatical from time to time. I hope you enjoy yours greatly!
Thank you kindly, Weebles. You’re the best.
Enjoy a blog respite. We all need that from time to time. 🙂
Thanks, Carrie. And, yes indeed, we do.
Enjoy your break and Happy Writing! Love all the Barrie quotes.
Thank you, Darlene. I’m glad you love the Barrie quotes.
Lovely to read these Barrie quotes. He was born in Kirriemuir, not too far from where I live, and the house he grew up in is now a museum. The town also has a nice statue of Peter Pan, I should do a post about it some time.
Taking a break from blogging sounds like a good idea if you want to concentrate on other writing. As I’m finding myself, you can’t do everything you want to do in terms of writing, as well as blogging all the time, so sometimes you need to make a choice. The blog world allows you to drift in and out as you please, which is one of its many good points, so I hope you enjoy your vacation, get some good writing done, and pop back when you’re ready to post again. Can I ask what you’re writing, by the way? I’d love to know!
Thank you, Lorna. I do hope that I can drift in and out as easily as you say.
I am currently writing articles (humor articles, which is my real writing strength, even though this blog is not a humor blog), and I am also writing a book about my family’s time in Germany (which also features the humor of our situation there). Thanks for asking!
Ah yes, I remember you mentioning the Germany book, are you planning to find a publisher for it? It’s great that you write humour articles, that was something I always wanted to do but I have never mastered it. Do you write for magazines? I’m supposed to be doing a course that will hopefully end up with me writing for magazines but so far I’ve been too distracted with other things. Good for you getting on with all these things, I think it’s brilliant, and I can well imagine you being wonderful at writing humorous articles!
You’re such a love, Lorna. I think you’d be brilliant at humor articles, as your posts are aglow with your sparkling wit, already. I’ve got a lot of pavement to pound with my own pieces right now, but I’ll keep you posted. Thank you again for your wonderful encouragement.
I’m looking forward to finding out how you get on, and thank you for your encouragement too. 🙂
Robin … Thanks for sprinkling these wonderful thoughts and words upon us … uplifting us and giving us flight! Enjoy your respite. Looking forward to the joy of your return, and your next story. Lisa
Ah, Lisa, thank you for sprinkling my own flight with your kind words and good wishes.