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"I long for all Christians over 35 to reach this place of self-acceptance and understanding. Indeed, I wish for the world to learn from the example of people like Jung and Rohr, that we might see less self-defensive backbiting and territorialism, war and isolation,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
"A snippet of trivia on the radio this morning caught my attention. Apparently, there is a high correlation between seeing auras and the phenomenon of synesthesia. For those of you who don't know, synesthesia is the tendency to associate words, letters, numbers or names with colours, and there is some controversy about whether this is an indicator of psychiatric pathology or a spiritual gift.'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt who sees a week in colours.
"What concerns me, and what is starting to concern many Johannesburg residents, is that mail simply isn't being delivered,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
"I confess to being both a lover of fluffy fiction and an amateur student of Carl Jung, which makes for some interesting speculation on the behaviour of the characters in the books I read,'' writes columnist and novelist Leanne Hunt.
"Being visually impaired myself, I have recently also come across movies that are narrated. This is a unique experience for anyone,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
"We just don't think about the needs of others when it comes to designing buildings and programmes. We believe that what works for us will work for others, and yet this is not true,'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt.
...She loved love. She could see hearts forming in the air above a couple, and when she did, she acted swiftly to manoeuvre events in favour of them getting together...
Author Leanne Hunt pays tribute to a fairy godmother who weaved webs of romance.
...now out of harbour, doing our regulation safety drill, we were getting a very convincing first-hand experience of what it might be like to be caught in a tropical storm...
Despite a stormy beginning, columnist Leanne Hunt enjoyed her first sea cruise.
"Being a writer depends on calling yourself a writer,'' declares novelist and columnist Leanne Hunt.
...Integral theorist Ken Wilber cites this example of playing a game with an "other" in support of his argument that God created the cosmos for His own enjoyment and interest. It is more fun to know not than to know...
Columnist Leanne Hunt considers the nature of surprise.
"It never fails to disturb me when Christians start talking about evangelism. The word "evangelism" means "the act of spreading good news", and yet it is so often an exercise in spreading bad news,'' writes Leanne Hunt in this thoughtful column.
"The challenges we face are tailored to our personalities and the words we speak often come back to haunt us in later years,'' writes Leanne Hunt in this perceptive reflection on the course of the lives of a mother and son.
“Numbers are more fascinating than we think. Most of us only perceive numbers as we know them from school; namely, as digits for calculating things like quantity, size, temperature, elevation, height, depth, width and wit. No, not wit. That's where the school syllabus falls short. It's also where I am going to try and make amends,'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt.
...It seems to me that Paul knew something that we prefer to ignore or deny. The Holy Spirit's power is poured out so people can be witnesses, not in holy huddles, singing hymns and feeding the poor, but as insufferable protesters, as crazy preachers, as wild-eyed pioneers and as eccentric writers penning long letters from damp cells to the outside world...
Columnist Leanne Hunt ponders on the deep relevance of baptism.
Continue reading "Which Baptism? You Mean There Are Several?" »
...Once, when I heard a woman say her goal was to live a life that defied explanation, I was seized with envy...
Ace columnist Leanne Hunt considers the course of her life.
...Then … oh boy! She discovered paddling! My husband had been trying to urge her into the water for some time but with no success. Then, finding a wading spot a few feet from my bench, she sloshed into the muddy shallows. I could hear her plopping around, emerging onto the bank, shaking herself off, and then plopping around some more. When she came panting back to me, I made celebratory noises which encouraged her to go deeper into the water, and soon she was up to her ears in Labrador heaven!...
Columnist Leanne Hunt tells of her dog Lulu’s joy at being alive, and free to roam and discover.
"Taking a guide dog on holiday to the mountains sounds delightful, but it has its drawbacks, as this year's family getaway reminded me,'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt.
"We struggle against seemingly impossible odds, feeling as if things will never change. Then, suddenly, when we are not even thinking about the garden or whatever else has been the focus of our frustration, something shifts. We turn the corner, pedal furiously to keep up with the new responsibilities we now have, and - lo and behold, the next thing we know, what was desolate and dry has become a riot of colour and form,'' muses Leanne Hunt while enjoying the delights of her summer garden.
Columnist Leanne Hunt says that, after damning herself as someone who could not feel, not understand and not even care, she seems to have developed an unexpected capacity for empathy
"I wonder if humour can be sustained in a world that is so quickly changing; where so much depends on a stable connection; where people are so often out of synch. The more disconnected we are, the more difficult it becomes to share a joke,'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt.
Columnist Leanne Hunt says that, after damning herself as someone who could not feel, not understand and not even care, she seems to have developed an unexpected capacity for empathy.
"Committing to the first line of a novel is like dipping an oar into the water after being presented with the option of an Orange River adventure, filling in the forms and submitting payment, meeting up with your tour operator, crossing the Kalahari Desert in a four-by-four, and spending the night under the stars with your fellow canoeists anticipating the dawn departure,'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt.
Columnist Leanne Hunt tells of the dogged determination required on dog washing day.
"When it comes to following someone into the arms of God, we had better know that we have chosen rightly, or we will be profoundly disappointed,'' declares columnist Leanne Hunt.
"As a user of screen-reading software, I have a rather different view of websites from sighted users. Instead of graphic images and logos, I encounter headings and labels. Everything is described in words, including technical terms that most visual users are never even aware of,'' writes ace columnist Leanne Hunt.
. …Well, too bad. If I was really a snob, I may as well flaunt the fact. I'd tell the world. Like the poem someone had once read to me, I'd wear purple and express my views brazenly…
Author and columnist Leanne Hunt allows us to share a personal; secret.
"Prayer is one of those things which we think we know about, but which, when questioned on, we often find hard to describe or explain,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
"Ten years ago, it would have been impossible for me, as a partially-sighted person, to think of editing a manuscript on my own,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
Continue reading "Editing A Manuscript When You Can't See The Type" »
“Whether a song makes you want to get up and dance or weep for what is no more, its power is in its truth,’’ declares Leanne Hunt after contemplating the creative process.
"It is our natural inclination to share resources because it makes sense. "I'll share my chips with you if you share your chocolate with me." It's no good sitting with a barn full of oats and no water when your neighbour has a dam,'' declares Leanne Hunt in this inspirational column.
"Blogging is a way to generate exactly the kind of conversations you most want to be part,'' of writes an enthusiastic Leanne Hunt.
"It took me a long time to get into social networking. Many blind people are connected - I know that - but it was one of those things which I shied away from, because of the exposure more than anything else. My world was quiet, contained and therefore serene without the clamour of traffic. I relished its simplicity and the lack of pressure to respond to messages.'' writes columnist and novelist Leanne Hunt.
"As I write this, I am visiting Cape Town, indisputably our country's most popular tourist destination with its magnificent Table Mountain, breathtaking coastline and spectacular city bowl full of lovely historic buildings. However, its attractions are nearly all visual. I find myself spending long periods of time sitting idly while my family exclaim over the sights they can see,'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt, whose vision is severely limited.
"Ah! Revelation dawns at last. My dream is to write. In that department, nothing stands in my way. 'Have laptop, can work', as the saying more or less goes. Maybe, then, I ought to get on with it. Twitter and the wonderful web sites that intrigue and inspire me so much will be there when the technician gets up the pole again and sorts out the telephone lines,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
Continue reading "Sabotaged, Or Not - Depending On How You Look At It" »
...Iris Murdoch is no longer with us, but she has left a treasury of timeless stories for us to learn from and be affected by. Her style of writing is formal but easy to follow. Descriptions of landscapes, buildings and objects of art always have exquisite bearing on the action - if not by mirroring its mood then by providing a counterpoint to it - so that the texture of the story is magnificently enriched....
Columnist Leanne Hunt enthuses about an English novelist.
"As of next week, I will be serializing the first novel I wrote on Open Writing. Titled Roses Aren't Everything, it is the story of a woman who, after discovering a family secret, is forced to reach out in various directions for help and eventually chart a new course into the future,'' announces Leanne Hunt. "It is an exploration of change set against the changing face of South Africa with a heart-warming romance at its centre. If you enjoy domestic drama and want to populate your life with a few new friends, I invite you to follow this inspiring saga.''
The serialisation of Leanne's novel begins on Monday.
"I am a new convert to the amazon Kindle. A new convert … and an enthusiastic bringer of good news to the blind!'' declares star columnist Leanne Hunt.
“My home is in a state of disruption,’’ writes Leanne Hunt. “All the kitchen contents are in boxes in the dining-room, my fridge and freezer are resisting the warmth of the winter sunshine on the patio, and the microwave oven is working overtime heating up ready-made meals from the local supermarket.’’
Continue reading "The Plumber, The Tiler And The Kitchen Designer" »
"What we think of as "presence" is nothing more than a heightened awareness of the present moment. It is us being present in the present. Presence is what we feel when we blot out extraneous details and focus on the tiny changes that occur second by second,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
Leanne Hunt says she knows better than to expect her sister-in-law to copy her behaviour. "I am results-focused when it comes to household matters, and all I want is to get the problem solved as quickly as possible so I don't have to think about it anymore. She, on the other hand, lives for company and excitement.''
“Hope is what keeps us going through the barren times,’’ declares columnist Leanne Hunt.
"The biggest problem today isn't lack of faith - since faithless people don't look for change. Rather, the biggest problem is a mixture of lack of hope and lack of love. The hopeless have given up trying, and the loveless are still disconnected,'' writes Leanne Hunt.
...Thinking back to my childhood, I recall songs that we sang in the playground of our whites-only school. One group would gang up against another and we would take delight in verbally lambasting our enemies. But those songs belonged to then and are never sung nowadays. Not because they are bad, but simply because we have outgrown them. Who wants to remember, while sharing an enjoyable afternoon with friends, that one used to jeer at people like them, or wish them dead, or dream up the worst possible fates for them to suffer?...
Columnist Leanne Hunt offers reasonable words on an issue currently stirring South Africa's national conscience.
"For me, being adrift in a strange environment happened when I lost the ability to read normal-sized print. I could no longer shop for myself or choose items off a restaurant menu. I had to ask people to interpret signs on street corners and office doors. When it came to operating soap dispensers and toilets in public bathrooms, I simply had to make use of my imagination!'' writes Leanne Hunt.
...I was stopped by a shimmering wall of lights. I stepped to the side, only to find myself about to walk into another woman. I apologized, stepped out of her way, and was surprised when she appeared still to be blocking my path...
Leanne Hunt, whose sight is severly impaired, tells of a disturbing "encounter'' while out shopping.
Leanne Hunt tells of the fun - and frustration - of travelling on Johannesburg's new high-speed train system.
"Writing in the stream-of-consciousness way is a joy because it invariably tells me something I don't already know. It is a creative process, not just a rehashing of past events or familiar emotions,'' declares columnist Leanne Hunt.
To read more of Leanne's entertaining and thought-provoking words please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/through_lattice_windows/
...We were a small group; about ten women. From the time we entered the chapel, we would maintain silence in order to tune in to the inner movements of our souls. The space was filled with the fragrance of flowers. Lilting music with evocative lyrics played in the background...
Leanne Hunt tells of the vital, last-for-ever lessons she learned when she walked the labyrinth.
"One of the most difficult questions a blind person has to face is, "What is my purpose in life?" We cannot help but envy doctors, builders, farmers, dressmakers, police inspectors, computer specialists, electricians and make-up artists. Not for the kind of work they do, necessarily, but for the sense of usefulness that comes with doing it,'' says Leanne Hunt.
"Patience with the ignorant, the uninformed and the handicapped is a matter of accepting that we are all weak in some department or another and having the grace to allow others a chance to catch up. Some need extra time to become informed or understand the information they are receiving. Others need extra space to seek the information they require and safely apply it,'' recommends columnist Leanne Hunt.
For more of Leanne's thoughtful and entertaining columns please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/through_lattice_windows/
...I maintain that we are triune beings. We have a body, a mind and a soul. If we allow our minds to dominate, becoming so rational that we lose touch with our instincts and ignore our intuition, there is a danger that we will become either robotic or unconscious. The interrelationship of our physical, mental and spiritual faculties is essential, both for health and a fulfilled life...
Leanne Hunt suggests thast ascribing cosmic significance to events is a creative exercise.
For more of Leanne's life-enhancing columns please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/through_lattice_windows/
"If we are to write well, for example, we must read well and think well. Similarly, if we are to think well, we must read well and exercise our mind by writing well,'' says columnist Leanne Hunt.
"Since I apparently don't look blind, it was necessary to explain to our visitors that I can't distinguish faces, see people in the passage or avoid luggage left in doorways. The teenagers, in their usual inimitable style, took this in their stride and were soon making elaborate gestures to be helpful.
Within hours, it had become a standing joke that I had to ask who I was talking to - a standing joke, that is, until I asked my own daughter. She was shocked to realize how much my eyesight had deteriorated since she'd been away.''
Leanne Hunt is a writer who will make you smile and warm your heart.
For more of Leanne's columns please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/through_lattice_windows/
"She lies stretched out on the wooden floor, warm chin resting on my foot. When I say her name, her tail thumps but she doesn't look up. She is a working dog at rest.'' writes new columnist Leanne Hunt in a memorable tribute to a very special friend.
In these days of terrifying natural disasters, wars and rumours of wars Leanne Hunt brings a constructive message:
"The world is changing and we can't escape it. The only way to experience peace and happiness is to adapt.''
"Since the age of ten, I haven't had the full picture. My visual field is fragmented, like an incomplete jigsaw puzzle. I live with an eye condition called macular degeneration,'' writes columnist Leanne Hunt.
Leanne believes that many people with normal sight are suffering from "spiritual macular degeneration'' - the habit of blocking out what they don't want to know about.
Leanne Hunt tells how, as a young girl, she came to terms with learning that she would never be able to see normal-size print, drive a car or gaze into the eyes of loved ones.
Don't miss this wonderful, inspiring story!
Continue reading "The Brighter Side Of Macular Degeneration" »
