Chasing Time

We live in a world blurred by schedules, dates, and conference calls. Webinars, online meetings, and the neverending stream of emails linking us to tributaries of information strip us into strings of thin taffy. Our attention is needed everywhere. We seem to be forever chasing time.


As I sit here on my lovely hospital cot watching my daughter recover from foot surgery, I'm bombarded by how to handle the upcoming weeks. She'll be out of school for at least two weeks and then in her cast for at least eight weeks. Under normal circumstances, I'm pressed for writing time. How the heck is this going to work?


Then the storyteller withing me takes a breath, my writer's eyes and ears alert. 


We're on the pediatric floor of the hospital, situated almost across from the nurses station. It's 1:00 AM and all is quiet, except for the brief conversations exchanged between nurses. I'm sure you're aware that each patient is prescribed a plan of care. But these plans are not set in stone. As the patient's health and needs change, so must the care they receive. 


It got me thinking about the next few weeks and my writing time. 


Being a writer is more than just a j.o.b. Most likely you, like me, must set aside time to write and hone your skills. There's no time clock or set hours. Writers not only chase time, but chase the time afford us to write because for most it's time aside from daily jobs and responsibilities. If you're one of the fortunate writers who's received payment for an article, copyediting, or even the glorious novel good for you. If you haven't yet, no biggy. Writing is part of our gene structure ~ our inner sanctuary. It's a passion that settles us, calms us and brings meaning to our lives. 


Thus, be the writer you are with conviction and fortitude. The peace of writing will continually find you and grow. 


I will adjust my writing time as needed to care for my daughter and fulfill the rest of my normal obligations, but I won't get discouraged. For this saying really is true: 'Where there's a will, there's a way.' 


Have you ever been forced to take time away from or adjust time set for your writing goals and then realized it was all for the best?