Tuesday, April 1, 2014

A is for Acceptance

It's the A to Zed Challenge! I'll be posting the first half of the month from Ottawa where I'm staying with my youngest and his partner and their newest - a little guy who is 12 days old today! Yay!

Theme? Writing and Life is what comes to me... how to balance the writing life with the other tugs you may have...

The ABCDEaria of the Writing Life -

A is for Acceptance

I accept that I will be drawn into other aspects of my life that don't support my writing. Or do they? I heard that one thing Richard Ford said at a talk he gave in Halifax recently was that he only needed to be a writer and a husband - every other duty, passion, etc... fell away leaving those two. Well, I would like that but it simply isn't true of who I am. I accept that I am a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a lover and partner, a therapist, a photographer, a curious human who has to  see what this is about. I accept that it takes me from my work - right now I am completely consumed by being a grandmother to a new little bean and I cannot imagine saying 'no, I can't come to Ottawa for three weeks because I need to focus on my writing' and I accept what that means. I'll probably never be a Richard Ford but I know I'll always be a real and true Jan Morrison!





9 comments:

Rita A. said...

So true. Do you think part of it is became women feel far more responsibility (and guilt) concerning those around them. Besides he probably doesn't have grandchildren. lol
Rita from A to Z 1896

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

A new grandchild? That trumps EVERYTHING! Lucky you, congratulations and enjoy the visit! (I love Ottawa! Say hi to it for me!)

Unknown said...

I'm a multitasker myself. In an alternate Universe I might be the Great Author, sitting there with my pipe tapping away late into the night. In this universe, I write sporadically, for fun, and my GERD keeps me from smoking a pipe or cigar. I'm mostly known as a counselor.
I appreciate your constructive criticism regarding the issues with our template on The Debauched DNA of the Hicks-Wylie Family">The Debauched DNA of the Hicks-Wylie Family blog. I think template designers sometimes get too caught up in what looks cool and end up sacrificing readability.
Peace,
Adam

Patricia Stoltey said...

Ah, what a sweet babe. You must be so excited.

Like you, I have a lot of interests and could never settle down to being just one thing and doing just one thing at a time. Lack of focus gets me in trouble a lot....and yes, I need more than 24 hours in my day.

mshatch said...

I agree! I don't fit into a this and that but rather a this that and twenty other things. Writer, artist, mom, daughter, sister, they are all important aspects of my character and make the whole me.

Haven't added grandmother yet!

Trisha said...

Acceptance is essential for any writer! :)

Becca J. Campbell said...

That's a wonderful outlook! I'm often discouraged by the many responsibilities that keep me from writing. But you are absolutely right, until we can accept that creative time will have interruptions by other parts of life, we won't be truly happy and at peace in life. Great post!

Steven Chapman said...

Best excuse EVER not to write :D

Anonymous said...

Jan - What a lovely idea for A-Z!!!! And I think acceptance is absolutely critical. The fact is, your being the ultimate Jan Morrison is more important to the universe anyway than is trying to be somebody else.