Monday, April 24, 2017

Hello Six

It’s been six years since my last post on Writ and a lot has happened in between. For starters, my husband and I had four children, which now makes us a family of six. There are so many great days with our darling children, and there are days when we wholeheartedly agree with what comedian Jim Gaffagan jokes about: “You know what it’s like having a fourth kid? Imagine you’re drowning, then someone hands you a baby.” 

And yet, we wouldn't change a thing. In the last six years, I also had a cancer scare, but in the end, I got a clean bill of health. Whew! 

Needless to say, writing took the back burner for a while, but I never stopped. My writing habits changed, however, and dare I say, for the good. Where once I had hours and hours--pre-children--to work on whatever I chose, now I have to be more purposeful and economical with my words because it’s the only way I can complete anything. When there’s an overlap in naptimes, I hunker down and tap out a quick creative paragraph or poem, or I study writing by reading. I carve out three hours a week away from my happy, loud house and go to a breakfast bar where they serve food that reminds me of my mother’s cooking. It is there that I write my best. My dream-come-true of having a large family and staying home with the kids when they are little doesn't mean that I had to give up writing. On the contrary, I think my large family has made me a better writer. 

I'm reclaiming Writ as a place to reflect on the journey of writing. Thanks for stopping by!