Gratitude from a Writer’s Perspective
Well, I’m sure everyone’s recovered by now from their Tryptophan overdoses and hopefully you’ve made it home in one piece. My Thanksgiving was OK, if you don’t count the 24-hour headache and the fact that I had to show up to my parents’ place early to set up and then stay late to tear down. I tried to sleep off the pain in my head for a good portion of the day, but it felt like my skull was caught in a vice right at the temples, which kept me awake. Eventually, I joined my family and finished off the night, watching old home videos from 20 years ago.
In any event, I’ve never actually been actively thankful for anything during any Thanksgiving in the past. This year, for whatever reason, I have been a little more self-aware, especially regarding my writing career. So I’m going to add yet another ubiquitous “list post” about the things I’m grateful for, but focusing on my writer’s journey.
In no particular order:
1. I’m glad to have a job. As I’ve stated in a previous blog entry, right now is not a good time to be without work. In another sense, right now is not the time to be in a job you hate, because with the job market drying up and layoffs increasing, you’ll only feel that much more trapped. So, I’m thankful that I’m employed and, just as important, I’m glad it’s in my field and that I enjoy what I do and get along with my coworkers. Writing ad copy for hot tubs, fireplaces and gazebos may not be the most fulfilling or soul-enriching job for a writer, but it sure as hell beats every other job I’ve held before it.
2. Buzzine. If you ask Richard Elfman, the owner and Editor-in-Chief of Buzzine, he’ll tell you that he’s the one who’s grateful to have me on board. No joke. From my point of view, however, he’s the one providing all the opportunity. As a freelance writer, there’s only so much you can do to make yourself stand out and look attractive to a legitimate publication. After that, it’s a matter of luck to get picked up. In Buzzine, I’ve found a very happy and comfortable home. I couldn’t have asked for more easy-going and relaxed people to work with. It’s also nice to know that they enjoy my writing. 🙂
3. It’s good to have friends. I don’t care who you are, life is just easier when you have friends. It’s even better when your friends share your creative pursuits. So here’s a shout-out to my comrades who wield the power of the pen and understand my daily torture of struggling to find the right word or phrase that communicates what I’m thinking. That’s you, Megan, DKS, Lindsay and others. I used to be proud to be a writer because I could sit with the likes of Shakespeare. Now I’m proud because I get to sit with you.
4. Thanks for reading. I’m also happy to have readers. Granted, most of you come this way because you’re searching for something about the film The Notebook and you end up leaving some disgruntled message. Still, it’s nice to know that something I’ve written has affected you. It helps me feel less alone in the world, knowing that I communicate with other people, which, I think is why any writer does what he or she does.
5. I’m not bored yet. This one’s the biggie. I still feel inspired to write. More importantly, I still derive joy from writing. In the dark recesses of my mind, there’s this fear that one day I’m going to wake up and not want to write. That scares me because I’ve decided that this is my path and what a shock it’s going to be if I hit permanent writer’s block and realize that what I really wanted to be in life was not a writer, but something else, like a chef or a ninja and that I’ve made a huge life mistake. Hopefully, that day will never come. For now, I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.
Whatever path you’ve chosen for yourself, I hope you have as many things to be thankful for.