My Spiritual Memoir: Thursday's Reflection

One day earlier this week I spent the whole day working on my spiritual memoir. 

That kind of spaciousness doesn't happen very often. However, this summer I changed my routine and wrote first thing in the morning. Just for a couple hours most days, but sometimes even less. No matter what else was scheduled or whatever else happened during the day, at least I made room for some writing time.

Earlier in the year I declared 2019 to be the "Year of Part II." My memoir is structured into three parts with about eight chapters in each part. Part I is done--until the next phase of revision--and I decided to give myself plenty of time to live within Part II.

To be totally truthful, however, I had hoped to put Part II to rest by the beginning of summer. That definitely did not happen. 

The summer was full--aren't they always--and I didn't have the sense I was making lots of progress or being very productive, but amazingly, I revised several chapters and even wrote a brand new chapter. Writing a rough draft is the hardest part of writing for me. 

My writing group met infrequently this summer, but each time we met I read a chapter to them, and the feedback I received was helpful and often positive. I admit I was disappointed when they sent me back to my laptop to revise yet again one of the chapters, but they were right. Oh so right! The next time I read that chapter to them, they agreed, "That's it!" Just what a writer wants to hear. 

Back to yesterday. 

I "finished" the last chapter of Part II. True, I haven't read it to my writing group yet. That will happen later this month. Even if they suggest more work, deeper work, I know the Year of Part II is coming to an end. 

What's next? Part III, of course. And my sense is that Part III will require the rest of this year and perhaps all of 2020. I am comfortable with that.

So what have I learned? 

Whatever time given to this project is time given to the project and not something else. And no matter how small the increments devoted to writing, eventually there are paragraphs and pages and chapters and whole big sections. Eventually, there will be completed manuscript.

This is not rocket science, but I needed to learn this for myself. In fact, I need to keep relearning it. Would I like to have more days like the one this week when the only task on my list other than making supper and taking a walk and a few important emails was to write? Yes, of course, but I have learned to use the time I have. Some days I have time beyond the initial early morning time--bonus time--and I have learned to dive right in for 30 minutes or an hour or longer, instead of whining that I don't have two or three hours. 

I am so grateful for the flow I have in my life right now. I flow between my writing, meeting with spiritual directees, and the volunteer tasks I do for our church, along with space for family and friends, reading time and rest. Each part of this flowing stream nurtures the other parts, and adds to the meaning and pleasures in my life.

I don't question how long this rhythm will be present or possible in my life, but for right now I am enjoying the view.

An Invitation
What project is waiting for you? I would love to know.