Do I have talent?

There's a post here at Writer Unboxed titled "Do I have writing talent?" You're asking the wrong question. The post talked about why this question didn't work and posed some different questions that would help us gauge our writing progress.

There have been several times I've seen people come to Compuserve, post some writing, and ask, "Do I have talent? Should I keep writing, or should I give up?" Maybe you've seen this in your writing groups, too.

Writing is a difficult profession.  We all need positive feedback.  We have to have some encouragement because there is a lot of discouragement in the process. But if you have to ask the question "should I give up?" then the answer just might be, yes.

Because there is so much discouragement in writing we have to know, in and of ourselves, that this is what we want to do. That this is what we NEED to do. We have to have the conviction so we can keep going.  If your only commitment is from outside sources maybe you should put down the pen and save yourself a lot of hurt later. Or maybe you just need to take the time, think about what you want and you'll come to that conviction on your own.

Absent

When a person lives with something for a long time, an addiction, an illness, a child, a spouse, it becomes the new normal. It’s easy to forget what it was like to live without it. When that thing is taken away we are dropped in a whole new world. Maybe a good world, maybe a bad one.  For a time we may be lost, confused and alone, wondering how in the world we can adjust. How we can get back to normal.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, humans are adaptable. The events in our lives mold us, refine us.  Yet no matter how horrible, or how good, we move on, we find a way to change, grow, and deal with those events. We may struggle while doing this, but the possibility to adapt is there, even while wondering what to do, or how to live with that absence.  

Gradually we remember how to be the us we once were.  The us that lived without it. The person a part of us still is. Only now we’re tempered with the wisdom that life has brought us.  

Lest any of you believe I have lost a loved one that is not the case. For me the absence is a good one.  It won’t be gone forever. It will return sooner than I wish. But for now, I am rejoicing in the me I once was, in the freedom I currently have.

Sacrifice

Friday, after months of struggling, our router stopped working for good.  To our surprise, our dishwasher followed along within an hour of the internet being gone.  We've had problems with the dishwasher from day one and The Engineer has had to fix it several (lots of) times. This time he couldn't.  He looked me in the eye and asked if I would rather have a dishwasher or the internet.

Easy question.

"Internet." I said without batting an eye.

I can wash dishes by hand, even the amount we go through with two kids and a mom who loves to cook. But I can't stay in touch with friends, my writer's websites, or my career without the internet.

I knew taking up writing professionally would require some sacrifices, Though I hadn't really thought about the dishwasher. I knew that I might not get out socially much. Hobbies have been dropped to the wayside. My house isn't as clean as it once was. But I have no regrets.

 If you need me, I'll be washing dishes.

Who am I kidding, I'll be on the internet.

What would you choose?  What have you given up to write?

I'm back!

Hey all!  It’s good to be back at the blog.  I want to apologize to all the comments I didn’t get back to.  I’ve been out of town but I plan to come visit everyone soon. 

Congrats to all you A-Zers. I hope it was a great experience for all of you! 

After a month of taking it easy I’m not up to speed on what’s happening in the blogging world.  I do know DL Hammons is kicking off his yearly Write Club.  If you are at all interested I suggest you do it. It’s a blast! 

So what have I missed?  Anyone with good news, an announcement, or just something to say?