Noticings of a Writer at Large


 I have been away from these pages for some time. But I have not been lollygagging or malingering. I have in fact been hunting and gathering in far away places. I have recently been on what I called my 3 Island Tour. Over the course of almost 6 weeks, My wife Vicki and me had the good fortune to visit the island of Capri, Sicily and Salina. Each time I am given the privilege of embarking on a new adventure I am reminded of this quote by Ibn Battuta:
'Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.'
Among the many special moments I captured in my notebook while away, there was one in particular that I wanted to share here.

As I walked through the Boffe section of Anacapri on the Isla Capri, I passed high white washed walls of long standing, local residences. On the walls of many of these buildings, colourful ceramic tiles feature. They are often adorned with elaborate numbers on patterned backgrounds, many also feature the name of the residence. it is a feature of the island. The tiles pop out against the background of the walls. 
In parts the laneway is somewhat patchy and 
uneven. I amble forward, taking time to soak in my surroundings.

And then I saw it... A tiny green ceramic splinter of tile embedded in the pathway. This momentary sighting reminded me of something I strongly believe, something I try to practice. The words immediately spring to mind like a much uttered mantra- Writers must learn to notice small detail. They must move about with a keen eye in order to observe the seemingly insignificant. 

As teachers we therefore do well to draw the attention of inexperienced writers towards such close observation of the world in which we all wander. We must encourage these young writers to assume the role of a curious learner.

Let's nurture the noticing and noting of those minute,yet extraordinary things,  frequently washing over most people without a ripple of recognition, but holding much significance for a writer. So much so,
they elicit acknowledgement and a response.
The view above Anacapri





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