| We live and write in the gap between where we are and where we aspire to be—constantly hungry for more: time, delight, joy, love, wealth, health. As artists and writers, this gap manifests in the tension between our vision for our work and the everyday grind of crafting words to breathe life into our ideas.
At times, we achieve our goals, yet often, we fall short—even as others marvel at the beauty they perceive in our efforts. I recall dreaming of unicorns as a child, their vibrant, sparkling colors vivid in my imagination. Yet, when I drew them, they resembled nothing more than misshapen rhinoceroses. That gap has persisted into adulthood. Now, years later, I still feel it. Today, the gap manifests as a tension between the time and energy I yearn to pour into my craft and the myriad other responsibilities vying for my attention. Perhaps you’ve felt this too—the pull between your artistic endeavors and your roles as a parent, partner, friend, or employee. I shake my head knowingly when the dream of being a nomad in the woods emerges; I love my life and family, but the gap is real. It stares at me with a toothless grin as I walk the tightrope of living and writing in the tension. So I’m pausing today to invite us to acknowledge the gap and practice radical acceptance. The gap was never bridged by denial or the sheer effort of trying to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Time. These are my tools for living in the in-between. What are yours? If you’re longing for a spiritual writing community that GETS the creative gap and is committed to one another’s success, check out The Unstoppable Writers Collective or the Momentum Mastermind. |
Deanne Welsh
Setting writers, stories and ideas free