One word. Just start somewhere. You’ll find your way again…to complete sentences. Write something. Anything. Maybe you’ll even say something thought provoking or insightful, but don’t try too hard. Be honest. Open. No one will read it, unless you show it to someone. Eventually, you’ll form a whole paragraph.
You’ll remember how to do this. It’ll be like riding a bike. Writing used to be as easy as breathing…easier actually. Remember? You ran away for a while. Yeah, you claimed you needed a break. That was only true for like a month right after you graduated. It’s okay. Just be honest with yourself about it.
Life after graduation got confusing and messy, which is understandable. It’s a weird stage to be in. Some friends have their dream job, some went on to grad school, some got married, and some are still reliving the “good old days.”
But you didn’t end up where you planned, and you didn’t know how to handle that. So, naturally, you began avoiding the one thing that you knew would help you handle it. Writing.
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit at a typewriter and bleed.”
Ernest Hemingway
You ran away because the bleeding part got scary, didn’t it? You “taking a break” turned into outright avoidance. Because you were scared. You put your guard back up, trying to protect yourself. You forgot how to be vulnerable. You got inside your head and didn’t know how to get out. Until you picked up a pen again.
Do you remember yet?
It might not all come back at once. It might take some time. You’ll probably be really uncomfortable for a while. It won’t be easy to peel back all the layers again. Just one word at a time. It WILL come. You’ll find your way back—to yourself, to your faith.
But you have to keep going. You have to find your voice again. In the words of Hemingway, you have to bleed.
4 replies on “Note to Myself: Keep Writing”
I love your honesty and your writing. You say what a lot of us feel or think, but don’t say, at least out loud or admit even to ourselves. Love you sweet girl.
What a beautiful and raw look at a beautiful soul.
I enjoyed reading.
I think the above could apply to any field of endeavor, dream etc. I think we all put things on the back shelf for a while for many reasons. Sometimes we remember and go back to them and other times they simply sit on the shelf collecting dust as we continue on with other dreams, wishes or ideas that come along. Some of those are worthwhile and some are not. I think the question is ….. What gift has God given you and how does He want you to use it? To achieve that goal would be the most fulfilling of all.
Love this Allie! I used to be a regilar journal-er. But got out of the habit. And there are so many things that you forget if not recorded on some medium. Just as a journey begins with one step, write down that first word. Love and encouragement! Alli Hunter’s Mom.