Creating in the Middle of Things

Creating in the middle of things. It's another inspiration from Eric Maisel, the Creativity Coach, from his book, Coaching the Artist Within. The idea is to create in the middle of things - in the middle of turmoil and tension, in the middle of stress and sensation, in the middle of boredom and beauty, in the middle of life! Maisel says, "You are always in the middle of your personality, always in the middle of your stream of consciousness, always in the middle of your culture. There is no exit."

Writing, for me, comes in waves. I have let it come in waves. I have submitted to the idea that there are times when I am not inspired, when I am tired, when I want to shut off my brain and watch mindless television for an hour or two. I have let the writing slip off to the side when I've had "better" things to do, something more fun and less stressful, something easier and more shallow. I have let life - and relationships and jobs and adventures and responsibilities - take over. But I still write. Because writing is what I love. It is my passion and my dream, my obsession and my life.

I write in the middle of things. I bring notebooks and pens with me wherever I go. I try to write every day. I write when I am happy and when I am sad. I write when I feel lost and also when I know exactly where I am. I write for solace and celebration. I write in fear and with tremendous courage. I write when I am weak and also when I am strong. I write, I create - in the middle of things.

But there's more I could do. I could give up that hour or two of television even though I just want to shut off my mind - and write anyway. I could push through the exhaustion - and write anyway. I could acknowledge that I may not be inspired at any given moment - and write anyway. I could forgo those plans with friends even though everyone else is going out and I haven't seen them in a while - and write anyway. But I also have to live my life - otherwise what do I write about?

I realize writers (and all artists) make sacrifices for their art. And I do make some. I have to, otherwise I wouldn't write. But as a writer, I must live, too. I must experience new things and have wild adventures; I must laugh and cry, fall in love and break-up. I must observe the beauty of the world and also open my eyes to the ugliness. I must let in the pain and give of myself. I must take and I must share.

I must dive in to the middle of things, and while I'm there, swirling around in the mess and the beauty, the laughter and the pain, the misery and the excitement; I must create - right in the middle of things. As you must, too.