This was so needed right now. I recently finished an essay workshop with Kris Camealy and wrote about entering a season where I'm not producing anything. Still not sure if I want to share it.
Thx for the utterly honest ways you put this experience into words. Takes so much courage to wait in the dark and sometimes we gotta borrow courage from others
"God gives us the amount of light that we can handle and enough to light our way.
When we learn to live with the light we’ve been given, life becomes a quietly satisfying journey. Because even though the light is gentle, it takes us to a, as Mary Blackmar says, “… growing frame of wisdom, ‘shining more and more unto the perfect day.’” It may be barely enough light to see by, but it is enough to be seen by." -- a little snippet from an early book of mine, "Mind the Light."
“It’s nothing to be afraid of, these quiet times of nonwriting.” I agree. I’m intentionally entering into a fallow season, to see what might rise up. You have been placed in one— and I bet rich words will emerge at some point.
Well put-you can't mine without darkness, no matter what you are mining. I'll stick to mining for words and images above ground though! Just reading about your experience gave me anxiety 🤣
I used to be able to write almost weekly, if not daily. Little excerpts, reflections. But its been quite some time that I've been in a fallow place. It feels like my words are all stuck inside me...and aren't quite sure of the way that leads out. Perhaps just a pinprick of light is enough to start the way to letting them start to see the light of day. Its important, so important, to have those people walking with us though and helping us see the light or share their light with us.
Also, just thinking of being in a mine makes my heart quake
Trauma is not terrible. Trauma is a part of life. The terrible part is the way we are prevented from having the freedom we need to do the creating. Because in the creating we heal.
“...sometimes, when our own headlamps have gone out, instead of wandering around in the dark and falling over things and hurting ourselves, sometimes, just sometimes, it might be a good idea to sit in the darkness and wait.”
This was so needed right now. I recently finished an essay workshop with Kris Camealy and wrote about entering a season where I'm not producing anything. Still not sure if I want to share it.
Thx for the utterly honest ways you put this experience into words. Takes so much courage to wait in the dark and sometimes we gotta borrow courage from others
"God gives us the amount of light that we can handle and enough to light our way.
When we learn to live with the light we’ve been given, life becomes a quietly satisfying journey. Because even though the light is gentle, it takes us to a, as Mary Blackmar says, “… growing frame of wisdom, ‘shining more and more unto the perfect day.’” It may be barely enough light to see by, but it is enough to be seen by." -- a little snippet from an early book of mine, "Mind the Light."
Thanks for your faithful witness!
I love that, Brent. Thanks for sharing. I like the idea of life becoming a quietly satisfying journey.
“It’s nothing to be afraid of, these quiet times of nonwriting.” I agree. I’m intentionally entering into a fallow season, to see what might rise up. You have been placed in one— and I bet rich words will emerge at some point.
It can be exciting to wait and see what's next.
Well put-you can't mine without darkness, no matter what you are mining. I'll stick to mining for words and images above ground though! Just reading about your experience gave me anxiety 🤣
Ha! It was quite an experience.
That last sentence is beautiful! Thank you for sharing your words.
Thank you, Ashley!
This is so stinking good, Shawn. Tending the souls of writers just seems to come right out of the center of you.
Thank you, Karen!
I used to be able to write almost weekly, if not daily. Little excerpts, reflections. But its been quite some time that I've been in a fallow place. It feels like my words are all stuck inside me...and aren't quite sure of the way that leads out. Perhaps just a pinprick of light is enough to start the way to letting them start to see the light of day. Its important, so important, to have those people walking with us though and helping us see the light or share their light with us.
Also, just thinking of being in a mine makes my heart quake
Thanks for sharing that, Janel, and I hope you find that little bit of light.
Bedankt voor het delen,maar in deze tijd ben ik vooral bang!. Wat een haat rondom mij
Stay courageous and look for the light.
Have you read Tillie Olsen’s book Silences? Has many good things to say about the silencing of writers.
I miss you, Barb! And that book sounds familiar to me. I'll have to check it out.
Trauma is not terrible. Trauma is a part of life. The terrible part is the way we are prevented from having the freedom we need to do the creating. Because in the creating we heal.
Thanks for this, Lillian.
“...sometimes, when our own headlamps have gone out, instead of wandering around in the dark and falling over things and hurting ourselves, sometimes, just sometimes, it might be a good idea to sit in the darkness and wait.”
So appreciated as I sit waiting in darkness.
Such an encouraging reminder. It’s ok to sit in the dark for a bit and wait for the words to come. Thanks for this, Shawn.