I've been becoming increasingly concerned about myself. There are some character traits that I cannot shake, no matter how hard I try or pray. For one thing, I am a complete night owl. If I didn't know better, I'd be concerned that I was harbouring latent vampire genes. If real life didn't demand that I put in an appearance while the sun was up, I could probably go for weeks productively busy between sundown and sunrise.
I'm also obsessive over details. I get caught up like a burr in woolen socks over whatever my mind hooks onto. If there are no current WIP's to take centrestage, then my brain will look for something to chew on - a conversation, a look, a feeling. Analyze analyze analyze... process... allow the resultant emotion to take hold of me and dictate. This is not always a good thing and I'm working on it.
I'm also somewhat anti-social. It's not that I don't like people, I just like being by myself. School holidays are a real challenge as the days often start with a bed full of sprogs before I'm actually ready to open my eyes and continues in a flurry of mom-demanding activities until way past the time I would like to be closing them. By the time peace and quiet arrives, I'm way beyond tired to do anything but surrender to the soft cooing of the duvet.
I was chatting to God this morning, and He gently flicked a switch in my brain. It all became obvious - I'm not odd, weird or degenerate... well, maybe just a little... Truth is, all the stuff above are good ingredients for a life given to churning out words. To write an article, story ... novel - one needs to be consumed with details, labour alone for long hours and the best time for this is when the world is asleep.
So I'm not bizarre, just built for a purpose.
That's a really good thing to know!
So now it's your turn. Are there things about yourself that bug you? If you step back and look at the big picture, can you see how those niggles actually fit? Let's chat.
"For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Ephesians 2:10
(reposted from Di's blog Doodles)
Dianne J. Wilson writes novels from her hometown in East London, South Africa, where she lives with her husband and three daughters. She has just signed a three book contract for a YA series, Spirit Walker, with Pelican / Watershed.
Finding Mia is available from Amazon, Pelican / Harbourlight, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores.
Shackles is available as a free ebook from Amazon & Smashwords.
A post I read recently said something like: I'm neither a night owl nor an early bird, but more of an exhausted pigeon!
ReplyDeleteI very much empathize with your statement about being somewhat anti-social. People are fine in small doses, and I do have some tremendously loyal and amazing friends, but most of the time I am content to be alone with my thoughts, creative or otherwise.
Thanks for posting, Dianne.
I completely identify with the exhausted pigeon! Haha!
DeleteI found it so freeing to realize I am exactly as He needs me to be. Obviously still a work in progress, but the basics are His design for His purpose. Such a beautiful thought for all of us.
Thanks for reading Jan!
I completely identify with the exhausted pigeon! Haha!
DeleteI found it so freeing to realize I am exactly as He needs me to be. Obviously still a work in progress, but the basics are His design for His purpose. Such a beautiful thought for all of us.
Thanks for reading Jan!
I love this post - for the title alone!
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Ruthette! I cringed at the word 'just'. Writers are so much more than 'just'. But it worked on another level. So.
DeleteGreat post Diane!
ReplyDeleteI'm the same in a lot of ways LOL
Good luck and God's blessings.
PamT
Diane, your post is so encouraging. So many of my writer friends say they get up at 5 AM to get their writing in before everything else demands their time. I thought I was doomed, because I'm not a morning person. I'm glad to see other creative hearts, such as you, feed in the starlight too! Cheers
ReplyDelete