Okay, so there are days where I think we all get to that point of “AH, how the heck am I supposed to get through this, or I won’t ever get this or this done.” It can be overwhelming. Between the day job, the writing, lots of running with the kidlets, long commute to/from work—court, deadlines…ah, you name it. It’s called life, right? Busy. Creativity sucking. Mind boggling. Life.
Since I do most of my writing during my lunch hours at my day job, I have a couple of things that are hanging on my desk that kind of keep me going or give me that extra push when I need it. Those moments where I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel (or I feel like I’ll never get this chapter I’m writing just right—or the day job work off my desk etc).
The first is a poem by Robert Frost. It was something I had to memorize for my English Lit class in high school. A poem that has stuck with me forever. I’ve had it hanging at my desk since I started the day job almost 15 years ago, as well as had it in a notebook when I joined the army right out of high school.
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This is one of my ALL time favorite poems…so inspiring for those days when you’re like “Why am I doing this again?” LOL. Or when you just need a pick me up.
The other poem is by an Unknown Poet:
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to small, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow—
You may succeed with another blow!
Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And never you can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—
It’s when things seem the worst that you must not quit.
See what I mean? LOVE these words…they’ve been the driving force behind me for years. Do you have any poems or sayings or quotes that kind of keep you on track when things get crazy? If so, feel free to share them below.
Hope you’re having a FAB summer. Mine so far has been crazy busy! And it’ll be getting more busy (LOL). In the midst of plotting a “secret project” with some other lovely authors. SO excited about guys. Will hopefully have more details on that beauty come September. I’ll also be getting edits for How to Unbreakup come August (can’t wait for you guys to read this nerdy, summer romance—which will come out I believe in January 2015). And of course, I’m nearing closer to the release of The Winter People (September 2, 2014). OMG, I’m flipping freaking out here…hahahaha. So excited. I’ll be speaking at the Fremont Public Library (in Fremont, MI) in October, I’ll post more details as I get them.
((HUGS))…and let my vacation countdown begin (less than 3 weeks—squeeee)…then it’ll be me, in the wilderness enjoying some camping, hiking, and rafting!
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