Oh So Simpatico!

It has been quite a while since I posted a motivational thought.  Sometimes life just gets in the way.  As much as I may chant my mantra ?A Writer Writes . . . Always!? there comes a time when everyone stumbles, falls, and doesn?t have the energy to get back up.

I fell down, and I?m still not sure when I can fully stand.

A large part of my motivation for writing stems from the confidence and belief that those close to me have in my abilities.  Whenever I scored a first place prize in a writing competition, my mom would be the first person I would call to share the news.  Whenever my excitement grew about a new story I was working on, or a major turn in my novel, I would bend my mom?s ear.  Hell, if I stubbed my toe on the edge of my bed in the middle of the night, you can bet I would tell my mom about it.

In July of this year, just three days after my birthday, my mom passed away unexpectedly.  With her loss went so many reasons for me to get out of bed and even contemplate writing.  Different people deal with grief in many different ways.  Losing a loved one has, for me, sucked so much energy from me?physically and emotionally.

There are many books on the market about writing through the pain, allowing the words to be cathartic, etc.  However, for the first time in my life, I am allowing my emotions to keep me from writing.  And I believe I have every right.  I am not wallowing in depression; I am merely grieving for the woman who gave life to me.  Day in and day out, I can tell others to ?keep writing,? ?don?t stop,? and ?never let anything stop you from writing if it?s really what you want to do.?  However, today I can?t take my own advice.

It will take time for my creative juices to flow the way they did a year ago.  In the meantime, I will take it one day at a time.  Today I can write a sentence.  Tomorrow it may be a paragraph.  Next week perhaps it will be an entire short story.  And so on and so on.  But I did take a very positive step in regaining my writer?s stride:  I joined a small but dedicated group of writers who are serious about their craft; more specifically, the art of novel writing.  Perhaps this group will be the catalyst for my creativity.  

Baby steps.  I?ll get there.

Stay strong, and continue to write.