If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living. Marcus Annaeus Seneca
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. FDR
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Paul Atreides, Dune
I still don’t know what we are doing exactly. I know it is something. But what, still remains to be seen. I confided in a friend a few days ago about my mix of uncertainty and pride. I talked about how amazing the movie is…the possibility of a book is very exciting, but when does that get written? About how I didn’t know where the job site is headed. I expressed my great appreciation for Jennifer being on board with her talent and experience. I love how the blog has it’s own great life, and how much I’ve enjoyed participating…BUT…Where are we going? There seems to be several trajectories with contrails, but I can’t see beyond the horizon.
Is it fear? Is it the unknown? Is it PMS? Or is it my own lack of limitless optimism that’s hobbling me? I don’t know.
A few weeks ago, I was trying not to think about all of this. I was sitting on the sofa channel surfing. I landed on Field of Dreams and had a nice little chuckle. Ha Ha – hmmmm, something seemed to be, oh just vaguely similar to my situation….Has my husband just plowed our corn under too in pursuit of something uncertain? Or do we just need to give it time and, forgive the tired line, “build it, and they will come.”
Again, I don’t know.
What I have learned through all of this, is that creative people create. It’s what they do. It’s what they have to do. Even when they lose their jobs…they keep creating. They keep painting, writing, singing, playing, dreaming, and working. The process doesn’t stop just cause they got let go. And, as Lemonade points out, so many can make their lives and livelihoods by exercising their talents on their own terms.
As I continued discussing this with my friend she said, “Well, whatever this is – It is something. Whether it provides a living or not isn’t even the point anymore. The point is that creating something has intrinsic value. Art, books, painting, movie making, in and of itself has value.”
I felt a whole lot better after talking to her. And really, the only thing I have to fear, is fear itself.
5 Comments
Don’t let the fear keep you from enjoying the ride! And don’t ’sweat the small stuff”!
A few years ago, on my way to work on the last day of a job that had ended, I was in an accident with a delivery van that I saw coming at me head-on in my lane. I somehow swerved over to the shoulder and stopped, so the van sideswiped the Mustang instead of smashing it. I came out of it with bruises and glass cuts, and a totaled car.
My immediate reaction was, “I’m alive! I’m all in one piece! Everything else is ’small stuff”.” Since then, whenever I get anxious about paying bills, or not working, or anything else that I can’t do anything about at the moment, I tell myself to quit worrying about the ’small stuff”.
Hang in there Kathryn!
Thank you – you couldn’t have picked a better time to tell me your story…It’s the end of the year and month, and things are tallying up. But it is all small stuff. Very small stuff in comparison. Perspective is a great teacher…
Since we’re sharing quotations, I’ll share a few with you that have helped me from sinking into the deep end of depression:
“Today is the Tomorrow I worried about Yesterday”
“Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials…patience is genius” (Comete de Buffon)
“Fall seven times, stand up eight” (Japanese Proverb)
“It is difficulties that show what men are” (Epictetus)
Hi there..
first time reader of your blog, and after reading this post, i need to thank you for i now feel i’m on the right path, wherever it may lead me, reason being, when i first started out my blog, i wrote a similar post, “The Alchemist” and it touches on fear and the fear of fear, but your blog helped me understand, that on this journey i’m on to be a copywriter or whatever creative form i’ll take, i at least know i’m not the only one.
thanks again
Mike
Margaret, Ron, Mike: Now I know, this right now, is the time of my life. Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for an amazing New Year!
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