But what if I have nothing to say? Write anyway.
But...what if my writing is awful? You will make others feel really comfortable in their abilities.
Ok- I can dig those responses to the voice that continues to plague my creative urge. Plagued or not- I'm NOT stopping. I WILL write until the words are no more... then..I.. will..squeak...out..a..few...more...syllables.
Why? Because I can. And because it is a responsibility- a joyful one at that!
There is a certain freedom in realizing that perfection is overrated and just putting a thought out into the starry universe might actually encourage someone to leap their latest hurdle or perhaps put words to that haunting melody that won't loosen it's grip on free memory space- not even at 3 a.m.
What are we waiting for? Time to live our BEST lives now.
I was looking at the fraying curtains hanging in my living room today and instantly thought of the crisp white linens I had been saving for summer- sadly, still packed in the storage bin in my attic. Why are they packed away in my attic at the start of September? Because I was imagining them hung when my walls are freshly painted and carpet is laid. Such a silly thought- they weren't even brand new when I bought them. Why not hang them and have crisp white curtains that freshen the room?
What good is waiting to WRITE until the wordsmithing genie grants that illustrious sentence which oozes chic and humorous undertones to the intelligent, deep, and thought-provoking wisdom we'd like to share with the world? What if we wait to journal until the children have given us memorable events that we can pass on to their children's children? What if we let minutes, hours, days, months, and years go by without recording a simple sentence that made us smile. What if we forget that it's ok to JUST WRITE- especially when no one else will read it? We will end up with blank pages and fuzzy memories of a distant day that held no importance to the grand scheme of life- except to that child that asks "Mommy, what did I used to do that made you laugh?" One of my favorite journal entries is a simple recording of what I was doing in that very moment- Laying in bed at the close of day with my husband softly breathing beside me and my newborn son snuggled up close to my heartbeat. I then sketched that moment (to the best of my sketchy ability) so I wouldn't forget the tenderness within those very minutes. How grateful I am to have that memory, from ten years ago, to pull out.
Perfection is a plague...the cure is simply- put pen to paper, paintbrush to canvas...heck..paper is fine too! Lend your voice to the wind, let your feet leap about, share a thought with another soul, photograph your favorite scene, plant a seed and watch the miracle that unfolds, pick up that hammer and hang that picture you are storing on your spare room floor...will a bit of crookedness rob it of the initial surge of beauty that stirred your soul? There's a reason the logo "Just Do It" was so grandly applauded-- our thoughts can stop what is meant to be enjoyed, shared, and lived out. Perhaps still the thoughts and trust your instincts- have fun and Just WRITE!
