Wouldn’t it be nice if everything went according to plan?
I think we’d all breathe easier.
*sigh*
Well, as you know, life is rarely predictable.
BUT here’s the good thing—writers understand that without conflict there is no story.
In fiction, conflict makes us turn the page.
In real life, conflict is similar, yet different. It puts us in the driver’s seat and forces decisions.
Suddenly, we’re the main character muddling through our own real life story.
Whether we like it or not, in real life conflict challenges us, changes us, and grows us. And—for glass-half-full thinkers (and writers) that’s a definite plus.
Where better to glean story fodder than from our own circumstance or situation?
That’s what I tell myself as my daddy recuperates from a recent fall that fractured four ribs, punctured a lung, and left him bruised from stem to stern.
We’re now in a two-week stretch of this recent chapter, and it’s been a journey, my friend.
If you have aging parents, you well understand the ups and downs of this life process.
There are great days and not so great days.
There are moments of indecision and exhaustion. Days meld together as time ticks away in the ICU, and then, rehab.
It’s nothing I haven’t faced before, albeit different situations, but now there are other considerations.
Things like—
- Getting our baby bird ready for college (BIG life change)
- Preparing for a major writing conference (LOTS to do)
- Continuing to write (Day job, night job, in-between job)
We’re praying for a timely recovery for my father, but the reality is the healing process is likely to be a lengthy one.
Driving the thirty minutes one way (an hour, both trips) didn’t seem terrible—the first few days.
But now…
Now I’m a little ragged around the edges. So is my sis. So is my mama who’s a few years my daddy’s junior.
In two weeks’ time, we’ve watched the ambulance whisk Daddy away to the hospital, spent seven days back and forth in the neuro trauma ICU, and spent another seven days in a rehabilitation facility (with a release date not yet set).
Strong, black coffee is my new best friend (and you may remember—we’ve always shared a special bond anyway.) *wink*
Since my parents are very private people, we’re requesting no visitors, but we do so appreciate your prayers and well-wishes. My family feels them—thank you so very much.
I’ve always worked best under pressure. Risen to the occasion and carried on.
Don’t ask me why. Probably a deeply ingrained work ethic.
As a writer, I have obligations to fulfill and goals to accomplish. I prioritize the least to most important, and I tackle must-dos according to whatever’s most pressing.
Sometimes, that means working long after my family’s already in bed.
Sometimes, writing/working means missing fun stuff, family time, or church activities.
Sometimes, it means saying to others, “No, thanks. I’m working. I’m afraid I’ll have to pass just now.”
Life is a mixed bag of highs and lows, and with that, there will always be deadlines and commitments.
Writers who’ve been at it for a while understand it takes a certain tenacity, drive, and dedication to forge ahead even while under pressure.
It doesn’t mean playing Perfect Polly at the risk of burnout.
It means setting realistic expectations depending on the circumstance and going from there.
We’re all different and comparison does nothing to increase our output or advance our career.
If it’s writing ten pages or just a few lines, if that’s our best, that’s our all—for that particular season.
And seasons,we know, pass.
Eventually.
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PLEASE SHARE
Writing during difficulties requires a plan. Think of it this way.
Yes, you CAN write during hardship. A simple suggestion.
ENCOURAGING THOUGHTS
Bent But Not Broken: Why You Will Do This Thing
Original Image Credit: miradeshazer/Pixabay
What hardship have you recently faced?
How did it grow you?
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Thanks so much, friend, for joining me today. I’ve missed you!
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Much Love and Many Blessings,
Comments 2
Aha moment! I go out of my way to avoid conflict in my life. I try to live right, follow the rules, cling to my Jesus and still things happen, stress comes, responsibilities pull my attention, distractions become huge obstacles. This helped me realize that maybe THAT is why my conflict seems weak in the stories I create. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Author
Julia, I’m smiling. Who likes conflict in real life—really? Unfortunately, it’s going to happen so I think we might as well make the most of it as we weave those emotions/plot threads into the fabric of our stories.
Remember little, ol’ Hayley Mills as Pollyanna? I think she might be my twin. I love her “glad game” and how she could always take a bad circumstance and see it through a different lens. That approach doesn’t always work, but if we can channel some of that same vulnerability as we write, our stories take on new life.
Not easy, my friend. (I despise conflict, too.) …But the wheels are always turning, even (especially) when things look bleak. I think of those moments as powderkegs of potential. 🙂