I’m thinking today of timing—how important it is to success. Timing and perseverance: the two go together. I’m also noticing the seasonal aspect of creativity, how cyclic it is. That too is hard to grasp. I want it all the time. I’m afraid if it isn’t there, it won’t return. But I need to remember that if I pursue my creative impulses, and if they’re in accordance with my abilities, then there will be success. Maybe not financially, though that would be nice. But I’ll experience the satisfaction of achieving what I’m capable of.
I must keep in mind that the cup will empty, fullness will recede, as happens each night with the waxing and waning energies of the moon. But we know the moon won’t completely disappear and eventually will become full again. I can’t help but hear “moo” when I write moon, those old nursery rhymes of the cow jumping over the moon still playing in my imagination. Of course, cows are very much moon creatures, with their emptying and filling, the various stomachs they have for digesting food that turns into nourishing milk. They’re a wonderful symbol for the creative person.
Perseverance is the key word. I need to keep this in mind to combat the bombardment of negative things I’m reading currently about being a writer. Not only is publishing like finding a needle in a haystack—especially publishing poetry and fiction—but also only five percent of writers support themselves on their writing. I feel fortunate that my perseverance paid off in that I’ve now published four books by traditional publishers. Though the presses are small, they are mighty in the sense they are enabling writers like myself to see their work find a broader audience. I may not be able to support myself on the books I’ve sold, but seeing them in print gives me the confidence to continue. And that’s worth a lot!
