Writer Mom Series: Open Windows

This wasn't a post I'd planned on writing, but after reading many of your similar comments on my FRIDAY POST I felt the need to share.

Doors open and close throughout our lives. We established that. What we do and how we react to those doorways is what makes us who we are as people, as communities, as a world. We have a choice. That's empowering. But how often we forget we have that power.

As a mom of children approaching adulthood, it's hard to see my choices at times. Living in the muck and goop of the busy life of a family of six is trying at times. There's laundry, dishes, food, and the dreaded grocery shopping which will surely put us in the poor house soon. When they were younger, there was reading bedtime stories, baking cookies, and playing pass with the baseball outside.

Now, there's homework--tons, and some is college material seeing how our oldest takes AP courses--dating troubles, and sibling bickering fueled by way too much testosterone. It's scary. And fuel, don't even get me started on the price of gas. Our oldest drives and is forever asking for gas money even though he has a job. With all of this, it's no wonder I forget sometimes that I'm in control.  

The same philosophy can be applied to our writing. When we first sit down to write a new story, ideas are scattered. Sometimes there are so many, we find ourselves chasing our tails desperate to find a beginning. We are the ones driving this road of creation yet we forget that. Then, a character appears. We hope, although not yet sure what their features and characteristics are.

We breathe, and a window opens. In one blink of our eye, we see curtains added to the window, blowing in the breeze; in the next, the window is bare. We look closer and the outer facade of the character blots clearer. We ponder, right there and then, the character's hair and eyes, the way he/she stands, what clothes is worn, and how it makes them who they are. We bask in the moment of discovering someone new.

Another glance shows us beautiful scenery through the grates of the window; but the next shows destruction and heartache. The inner workings of the character and story are taking form. Our writer sense--yes, you have it--narrows and we begin to believe there's something there. We think. Light peers through that window. A plot emerges, then sub plots, roadways and ultimately an outline or synopsis is born. We are in the moment. And there's nothing like it.

A lot of your comments on Friday were understanding and sympathetic. You understood where I was coming from as a mom/parent as well as a writer. And like me, you're hoping to use your struggles as a parent to fuel your writing. I wanted to share part of a comment that was left on Friday. It hit home with me and I think it will with all of you.

Ellie
...I do know where you're coming from. Life has taught me a lot of lessons, the most important being don't get so caught up in the past and future-you forget about today. Live for each and every day...


Thanks, Ellie, for sharing such wisdom with us. I'm sure a lot of us know this on a subconsciously level. But how often do we need to be reminded...


How do you LIVE for today?