"One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot is, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it all, give it now." -- Annie Dillard
Today I spilled coffee on my laptop keyboard. If you had been there with me, you would have been astounded by the speed in which I raced to find a napkin for such a small dribble. After the scamper, the best method of clean up was obviously my cardigan sleeve. But the whole exchange was not without its elements of hysterics. Too bad I was in public. Coffee shop fail.
Me and my keyboard have been through a lot together. I bought this laptop right before starting grad school. I wonder how many words it has helped me to articulate. After considering many pages of brilliant theological thought in papers, not so brilliant Facebook posts, many emails, and a blog entry or two... that's a lot of words and a lot of expression. So even though my novel project is still gathering dust-- I should own the fact that I am a writer. I am a writer because I write. And in the last few years, my thoughts, through their written nature, have found much fullness, indeed: they have found life.
I have been learning that I extend grace to many people-- lastly I extend grace to myself. I have been holding that dusty novel against myself for years. (legit, years) Perhaps my learning for today is that I HAVE been writing. And through reading all of it, I think one could get a pretty good idea of what my world is like, what goes on between my ears, and what makes my soul sing. Today I am reminded that my writer-soul has plenty of reason for singing.
