Elusive things and Infinity

I’m back! After several months of my brain rolling around at about 50% past capacity, turning it off for a week was a much-needed, long overdue occasion. 

While I was gone, I had the opportunity to stand on a balcony and gaze over the ever-moving, ever-changing ocean. I’ve always wanted to see a whale in the wild. Always. In my small mind, I keep thinking that one of these days I’m going to be in the right place at the right time and an enormous whale is going to pop up and show itself to me, posing while I snap postcard-quality pictures with my conveniently present camera. I’ve held onto this hope for years, and though I’ve crossed the ocean a number of times (and been near it, on it, close to it, etc.) I still haven’t been in that perfect place and time. Yet.

I’ve seen dolphins, sea turtles, flying fish, and crabs. Pelicans, cranes, and a bazillion other cool birds. I’ve seen alligators, too. But no whale.

It’s like this elusive thing that I just can’t reach.

But as I watched the water stretch out in all directions, broken by nothing but the horizon, I realized something. The ocean is freaking VAST. It’s infinite. There are places where it’s so deep it can’t even be measured. And no matter how many whales live in it, the chances of me being in the right spot to see one are slim. There is just so much space and one single whale is such a small thing comparatively. I mean, yes, I understand that there are known places to go whale-watching. But even then there’s no guarantee. It’s still about timing. And that timing isn’t just up to me.

But I know that if I keep looking, one day I’ll get to see my whale. And if I don’t, at least I’ll know I never gave up trying.

I think that’s true with a lot of our life goals. The world is vast. In many ways it’s infinite. Dreams are sometimes elusive things that feel out of reach. But we will never know how infinite we are until we unfurl our sails and make for the horizon.  

Maybe we’ll find a whale, and maybe we won’t. Maybe we’ll find something else entirely. Like, I don’t know, a new continent that will be lauded as the promised land and named after us. The point is we have opportunities and choices and chances. Enough to fill an entire ocean. It’s up to us to decide if we have the courage to sail.

What is something you’ve always wanted to see/do/try? 

A Funny, Some Encouragement, and Perspective

First, a little funny for my friends fighting in the query/submission trenches.

Next, a little encouragement.

Some perspective. 

No matter where you are or where you go, it's always possible to find a lucky star (or starfish, as the case may be). 

And no matter how hard things get, the sun will keep rising and setting, and so will you.

 

And now that I've fulfilled my job as cheerleader, get back to work. 

Carry on! 

Sometimes Creativity is About Faith

In yourself.

In your work.

In the family and other loved ones who support you and try to understand but don’t always succeed.

In allowing the house to be messy, and letting the kids eat cereal for dinner.

In your creative friends. And your not-so-creative ones.

In the market.

In readers who always want something new to read.

In your original ideas—there will be a place for them.

In publishers who are brave enough to take a chance on something different. Or something similar. Or something else.

In agents who might be in a terrible mood when they read your submission, but decide they like it anyway. Or not.

In a higher power who has plans for you, even though you can’t see the blueprint.

In your ability to continue producing.

In your need to take breaks.

That what your gut tells you is the right thing to do, even if no one else—even the person you trust most—agrees.

Faith that you will be successful. Eventually.

And until then, faith in the power of chocolate covered marshmallows, Cadbury mini-eggs, black licorice candies, Black Forest gummy bears and Dr. Pepper. When creativity fails, these things will certainly see you through.

An Offensive Four-Letter Word

Well, okay. Some of you might say it. But you better NEVER say it when I’m in the room. I might have to hurt you.

Can’t.

Seriously? In my opinion, this four-letter-word is worse than the worst curse word. It’s self depreciating, self destructive, and just plain wrong because there is no such thing. So just don’t say it.

If ever you find you need a different word with which to replace this other naughty one, try these instead: Won’t, shouldn’t, am not allowed, illegal, it’s wrong, I’m afraid, incapable, don’t want to.

The truth: 

YOU CAN.

Doesn’t matter what it is, it can be done, and by you. But first you have to believe in yourself.

That is all.

Anything’s Possible—Just Ask Your Idols

With the end of the school year and graduation, the beginning of summer, I’ve been thinking about futures and dreams and possibilities. The daughter of one of my dearest friends graduated last week, and as I was signing her card, I couldn’t help but think of how, next year, my son will also graduate. And then his life will begin for real.

And his life will have so. Many. Possibilities.

For that matter, so will the lives of all my kids. They really can do or be or become anything they want.

You know how adults are always saying stuff like that? I think sometimes we forget to follow through with that statement by proving it to ourselves as well as the kids in our lives.

How do we do that? By letting them watch us chase after dreams of our own, no matter how big or small. And no matter our level of success, always striving to be the best we can be. For me, this means writing, learning, submitting, trying, writing, learning, submitting…endlessly doing all these things until I find success.

It’s a long road for some of us.

Until I can show my kids that it really is possible to reach that star of my dreams, I’ll enlist the help of some of their childhood idols, who will remind them that everyone starts somewhere, and success can only be found through hard, hard work.

(In this picture, my basketball-playing daughter gets pointers from her idols, BYU players Jimmer Fridette, and Jackson Emery.)

(In this picture, same daughter and friend “Sarah” spend a few minutes with American Idol David Archuletta.)

Who do you look up to? Why?