Hello everyone, it has been a few days since I posted. I’ve been running, travelling, and visiting family. I’m actually writing this in my old bedroom of my parents house. Yes, everything is wonderful between me and my wife, that’s not why I’m in my old room. I’m on the road giving presentations for Camp Rockmont, and have been able to spend a couple days here. I know you were all dying to know those details, why would I even think you would? Well, let’s start there.
Writing has become enough of a practice for me over the past several weeks that when I don’t do it for a few days, I miss it. I get antsy, thinking about essays and topics to present. That feeling is also present when I don’t exercise or read for a few days. So that’s a good sign. The problem is that right now it’s 12:48 am, I’m tired, and want to go to bed. But that’s how I felt last night, and will probably feel the next 3-4 nights. Trying to come up with a good topic or inspiration in that frame of mind is difficult. But that’s ok, because it’s not always flowing prose and witty dialogue when any of us sit down to write. I even when over to my list of idea drafts, ready to remember and be inspired. That didn’t happen. I stared at them, trying to remember what the heck I was talking about in that idea. Then I felt a brief peace, and had the thought “Matt, just start, and see where it goes”.
So here I am, seeing where this goes. That’s why I started with a few details from the past few days. I needed a starting point. I can tell this is going to be one of those terrible essays about nothing that make people cancel their email subscription. I apologize, but I needed to write. We will all have these days and nights where the work isn’t happening, it’s just not our day or simply our moment (because in fact, I’ve had a great day). I planned on writing this evening, on sitting down and taking my time with an essay. But then I ended up talking with my parents for 2 hours about all kinds of things. That was important, I needed to do that and it was great to talk with them for that long. We don’t get the chance to do that very much anymore. A lesson in that is, maybe you don’t always get to do what you planned on, even if it’s good and important work. Because there can be just as important work, even more so, waiting in a good conversation.
Regardless of that, I still felt I needed to write today. Because on top of all that goodness I experienced throughout the day, I wasn’t quite done. I hope you can all keep that in mind too, that if you feel that you still have work or writing to do in a day, especially an intentional hobby like writing, that you make the commitment to making that part of your day. Because there is a cumulative effect to putting it off another day. The act of writing, or drawing, or woodworking, or exercising, becomes easier to say no to when you’ve practiced saying no for multiple days. You don’t have to do any of these things, but if it’s important you, if you love it, you will be compelled to sit down, and just start.
Let’s see what happens when you do.