Okay. I confess. I’ve been stuck. Not writer’s block so much, but just stuck. I was going along full speed then I came to a point where I didn’t know where I was going. Rather, I knew where I was going, but suddenly it didn’t feel right. Didn’t feel authentic. I felt the critic in me (that bastard that I urge you all to quell) telling me what I should do. So, I did nothing.
Taking time to take a step back from your work is sometimes necessary. Do not view this as failure; rather, view it as simply taking a necessary pause to ensure that you are heading in the right direction.
Toni Morrison died this week. I have been in mourning all week at the loss of this other phenomenal woman. I have been reading about her life, her work, her ability to write real stories for us about us, to let us know that we are good enough just the way we are. And as such, there is no need to try and make ourselves over in someone else’s image nor to seek external validation.
Prior to this week, I was thinking about abandoning my writing project, the one I started with you all back on the 1st of March. But after reading some of the tributes to Ms. Morrison, and in particular after reading parts of her acceptance speech when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by President Barack Obama, I had the sudden epiphany that I didn’t need to throw away the writing, only the title. Like the old folks used to say, “Don’t toss out the baby with the bath water.” LOL!
So, in honor of Ms. Morrison and the generous gifts she bestowed upon each of us that left indelible imprints on our hearts and in our souls, let’s continue this journey together… and see what the end’s gon’ be.