Like most writers I know, I have some issues about squeezing in the things I feel like I should be doing. Writing sometimes (ok, often!) gets added to the end of the list, instead of being #1, which would make me most happy.
Born in a generation where duty came first, fun came second, if it came at all, there was not much time to Play. Our female role models, washed clothes on Mondays, ironed on Tuesdays and vacuumed on Wednesdays. And then vacuumed again before the weekend, if it needed it or not. Wow, those were the days!
Julia Cameron, in The Artist's Way reminds us writers to Play. To set aside the time, to make a date with ourselves to flex our creative muscle in unexpected ways. Stretching into these foreign territories, has indeed made me see the world from a different vantage point. Putting on a different hat, being someone other than your usual (comfortable) self, can make all your senses go snap, crackle and pop. Try something new, Julia says.
And that is when I walked into a craft store whose doors I had not entered in a decade. The clasp had broken on a favourite belt, well I'm sure I can fix this, I thought to myself. This item, just happened to be in the same isle as the jewelry fixings. Another world opened up for me. It was like walking through a portal called imagination, into the unlimited possibilities of creation.
Beads and wires, books and tools, charms and chains. So thank you, Julia Cameron, you encouraged me to try something new and it worked.
So for all the "stuck" writers out there, Play. Put on a different creative hat and Play.
I have and I guarantee that you will feel happy too.
