Crying: Trying to Make Connection
“Her throat felt thick inside; it was the lump that forms when it might help to cry but tears don’t come.” Amy Kenyon, author of Ford Road
I’ve been wanting to cry for days now. Not because of anything specific, just general malaise from following the prickly path of my life as a writer: feeling stuck in my next project, seeing just a trickle of monetary results from my first book, two years out. Feeling like it’s all too much. I tried to cry, believing it would open clogged channels and relieve stress.
This morning, I prepared for the day, slathering moisturizer with sunscreen on my face, knowing I would walk with Barbara in the bright Florida morning. “Walking will loosen my stiff joints,” she hoped.
“I definitely agree,” I replied, even though I was concentrating on my right eye, which was beginning to ache. Why was that? Apparently, the lotion I’d put on my face had oozed into my eye as the heat and humidity increased on our walk.
Later, when I sat down in my writing studio, the irritation worsened. Trotting to the bathroom, I reasoned, Okay, I’ll press a wet washcloth to my eyelid. But the pain worsened. Then, I dropped some Genteal eye solution onto my cornea. It didn’t help much. More eye drops, a soaped up-washcloth. Then, I turned my face under the faucet and let the flow irrigate my eye. That helped a little, but then my nose started to run.
Finally, I began to cry, clearing out sinuses and all the emotion stuck behind my eyes and lodged in my heart. My crying session over, I felt cleansed and ready to sit once again in my writing chair. Fingers poised over the keyboard, I would find a way forward.
Good morning, Marian! I’m so sorry you had such a bad day. There are days like that where nothing seems to go right. I hope today is better. I love Cliff’s drawing–especially all the little details like the cup in mid-fall. 😀
This morning, after I published this post, I added a subtitle: A Slice of Time. Many of my friends thought I was still down in the dumps, not true anymore. (You know how it goes.)
I will pass the compliment on to Cliff, who also understands a writer’s life. Thanks, Merril! 😀
You’re welcome! 😀
I’m right there with you sister writer! Sometimes it is all too much. I’ve been languishing myself when it comes to writing. Other endeavors are happening though. As I flow in other areas, I trust that creativity will eventually unblock the flow of writing. Sending love and encouragement…
Thank you for the encouragement, Sharon! It looks as though you may be moving soon, which re-directs energy into other areas. I know you like the visual arts and gardening, other creative outlets. 😀
It’s good to cry cleansing tears Marian, they help release what needs releasing. I feel that way too sometimes, something caught in the back of my throat – it’s as if I need to cry for myself and all the sorrow in the world. But sometimes I just simply can’t – maybe a fear that if I start I won’t stop. I love your comforting quote thank you. The mouse hanging mid-air and all awry at your desk is brilliant. May all be well with you.
I hear empathy in your voice, Susan. And the affirmation of the verses from II Corinthians, Jesus the supreme comforter. Huge thanks! 😀
Thank you Marian and glad my response came through. Funnily enough, your comment is not showing on my lap top so I’m commenting back on my phone.
You are HERE! Thanks so much for connecting, Susan.
We’ve all been there, especially in this time when the overall level of anxiety is high – COVID, weather, season of lies and hate all around us. That plus our own personal frustrations. I’ve published 3 books, and the revenue from them is pitiful. A house is being built very close to mine (30 feet), the trees all came down , etc. I am within 3 months of 80 (how did that happen?) Of course we want to cry!
Thank you for tuning in, Lois. Your list of stressors tallies pretty much with mine. I’m sorry too about the trees being felled close by and all the noise and exposure that business entails.
Yes, how did that happen? I guess most of the EAHS class of 1959 has turned 80. I’m right there with you. All things considered, I guess we are lucky to be alive. Wishing you good health, Lois!
I’m sorry your feeling blue, Marian. Believe me, I know where you’re at and it can be a lonely place. For me, an overload of social media, news and demands on my schedule are often the culprit. For the past year, I’ve been trying to go back to the place where I wrote for myself and God. A time where I wrote for the joy it provided, not chasing likes, contracts/money or a larger platform. My focus now is on who I’m really writing for and being thankful for the gift I’ve been given. It’s a daily struggle, but one I know is best for me. As for Cliff’s drawing…I love it!
Jill, you know about the writer’s life for a longer time than I have. Plus, you have the added pressure of a demanding day job and a publisher to please.
You have a tremendous gift and many devoted readers. Writing for yourself and for God sounds like a worthy goal. A way to strike the right balance. Thanks for your understanding here. Blessings! 😀
Good morning love the drawing cliff made. I went through that last week. I was happy doing Lyft meeting people stress free life, when it got turned around. My friend introduced me to his friend that needed an HR person. I told him I’ve only done it for my business, never for a company. I tried it loved the people I served. I wasn’t trained but I handled myself in all of it even learned to excel. To then be told by my boss that the plant manager didn’t want me there. I didn’t care in the sense that I didn’t look for this job. It came to me. But I feel as if I a banded the people I was serving. I had my cry alone. I’m still employed with no responsibilities for the next four weeks. I know my boss feels bad for me because he saw I put my all in. Life and it ups and downs. I praise God he is not like that with us. Things change in His time.
I know you well enough to imagine the loyalty you have to a business and to your customers. My best guess is that it wasn’t you, specifically. It was in the attitude of the plant manager. Who knows? Maybe jealousy played a part. Maybe he or she has wanted to put someone else in your place.
Yes, God is good. Life is often not fair, but God is just. I believe this isn’t the end of the story. Perhaps there is a something better in store. Wait in expectation, Gloria. 😀
I’m sorry to hear that you’re feeling so down, Marian. I get the overwhelm when marketing, promotion, and social media leave me too little time to write. I hope by the time you read this comment you’re feeling better.
Yes, I’m certainly over the hump. I have accepted the feeling as part of the cycle of the writing life. I find if I carve out writing time before I go on Facebook, Twitter, or book promo, I get more done in my prime hours and leave social media when there’s less “gas in the tank.”
You are kind and understanding, Liz. 😀
I’m glad you’re feeling better, Marian. That’s a very good strategy to schedule the writing before social media and book promo.
I don’t always do it, but it guarantees writing won’t get blunted by the energy it takes to interact with others, as satisfying as social interaction can be. 😀
Marian — I don’t cry very often, but when I do, I feel much better for it afterward. I hope that you’re feeling better now too.
Much better, Laurie. You understand the pressures of the writing life and have learned how to “go with the flow.” Walking is a great help to balance our feelings and work out the kinks. You are a pro at that, a great example to follow. Thanks! 😀
Good morning Marian,
I tell ‘Alexa’ to play “Meditation” music. That usually unplugs the tears.
And you know you can always phone a sister!
Jean
I don’t have Alexa, but I do have a sister. Thanks for the offer, Jean. 😀
My dear friend, you just go ahead and “Cry me a River’ – along with about 88 other songs about crying – makes you authentic and real. Love your honesty and transparence. Keep writing, your wit and prose keeps us going and makes us pause and think. “Keep Looking up….That’s the Secret of Life.”…..Snoopy
Your musical reference and the Snoopy quote does my heart and soul good. Thanks for being my steady friend, Carolyn. 😀
Marian, I’ve felt these emotions as well. The royalty checks from my two books didn’t come close to covering my time and expenses. The mistakes I continue to notice that slipped by editing still bug me. But when a writer’s message is delivered and even one reader shares a favorable comment, that’s the true reward. Few people are ever published. Be very proud of your accomplishments. PS: Our beautiful, cool Florida Fall/Winter weather is just weeks away.
Lynn, you have intimate knowledge of a writer’s life and can certainly commiserate. I’m glad you can relate. Thank you!
Yes, northeast Florida is supposed to cool down in a few days. I know it will get hot again, but October usually takes us out of the 90s for good. I hope that’s true for Winter Springs too. 😀
Marian!!! I am so with you. I’m sorry you had to cry. I cried many times last week and have cried this week. Thank you for sharing that passage of Scripture. We surely need God!
Linda Marie, we are certainly on the same path and share many of the same values. You live a life of generosity; you are making a difference whether it feels like it or not. Blessings my friend! 😀
I always love Cliff’s illustrations, and this one takes the prize. And your sweet story of real life for the writer of a certain age will bring your friends running to you with virtual flowers and hugs.
Writing is hard work. Cry as often and as long as you need. And thank you for coming back and trying again. That’s the secret of life. And like your verse says, we wounded healers come back to heal others. Thanks be to God.
You of all people understand the ebb and flow of the writing life. I wrote this piece over a week ago as a piece of flash (non)fiction. The drawing done in 2014 probably added to the pathos.
I like to think of myself as a “wounded healer,” a badge I’ll wear with honor. Thanks be to God! 😀
I’m so sorry to read you’re in a bad place, Marian. Taking a break from it all – the computer, social media, sales numbers, internet in general – will help heaps. Focus on other facets of life. This is what I hope to do as my travels will take precedence.
Of course, I can totally relate to your feelings and despair. Our books are/have been all consuming and so much work that we want to see results and rewards. I’m often ready to give it all up as well… There’s more to life than being an author. 🙂 I will certainly slow down after one year of having Plunge released. What writing project are you working on?
Liesbet, I believe you have left Massachusetts and probably by now are in the Chicago area. I’m glad you had a “nest” to promote your book at the outset, a good thing during the pandemic.
Of course I do know that there’s more to life than being an author. The down times, which you totally understand, underscore the value of my “friend” connections. Beyond the stadium of friends that cheer us on, we have a core group that help us stay “steady in the boat.” I’m glad you are one of them. Thanks for your wisdom here. ((( )))
I’m happy – and fortunate – to be your friend, Marian. We haven’t made it to Chicago yet. We need to take life a tad slower now and are meandering through New York State (and sitting still in the rain for two days). It’s good to be without a schedule again. 🙂
Tell Mark “Hi’ and give Maya a good rub for me. :-/
Hi Marian – I’m sorry you had such a blue day. I do understand – we all put our best selves forward on these blogs and social media, but we all feel down at times. I hope you’re having a better day today. By the way, your husband’s drawing is excellent. It belongs in The New Yorker. Have his cartoon sketches appeared there?
I wrote this piece in 20 minutes when I was feeling blue over a week ago. Unlike blog posts I research and pore over, this one just poured out, documenting my feelings about one stage of the writing life.
Cliff often reads comments on my posts, so he will read this and appreciate your observing his drawings as The New Yorker quality. He has contributed to my blog here and of course to my memoir art-chive. I have also featured his other art on blog posts, especially five years ago when we moved. Here are a few:
https://marianbeaman.com/2016/09/28/his-turn-ii-an-artist-discovers/
https://marianbeaman.com/2016/07/06/moments-of-discovery-an-artist-discards-and-finds/
Thanks for adding to the chat here, Barbara!
We don’t write to get rich, but at least you’d like to clear a little cash, right?? This gives me pause as I anticipate my 10th and perhaps final book getting published. I don’t look for huge sales, but I hope there is a market.
Thanks for your honest sharing. I will send you a private email about my mother, I’m by her bedside these days.Hugs for you and I haven’t quite hit the crying stage yet. Still it is emotional. Hope your day brightens!!
You know the writing life from both ends of the spectrum: as an author yourself and also writing and editing for MennoMedia. I admire your shelf of books. Ten is a huge oeuvre, in my view. I wish you all the best for your memoir in the making.
As I mentioned in other comments, I wrote this piece at a low ebb over a week ago and have recovered my balance since then. My heart goes out to you. You are doing a good work at your mother’s bedside. How well I know this path. Huge hugs! (((( )))
When I’m depressed or sad I often take a walk. I have to decide if I’d rather be alone or have a companion. Sometimes all it takes to get out of a funk is to tell one’s troubles to a trusted friend. Other times I prefer to walk alone and think about all of the blessings I have in my life.
When you’re ready, throw yourself into your next project. There are few things in life that feel better than being creative. If you feel stuck in writing, look for some other way to be creative.
Thanks for your “teacherly” wisdom, Pete. You have been on both sides of the desk, so I know you speak truth.
The “blue” feeling is long gone and I’m plunged into my new project. For some time now, I’ve been stewing over curating my blog writing into a collection. It may take awhile, but I’m happy knowing I have a clear goal. 😀
Hope you’re feeling better, Marian. The time we’re living in doesn’t make it easy. Several creative’s I know are having a difficult time staying in their work. Crying is especially helpful for me.
There’s plenty to cry about these days. I’m glad your can release your emotions, “letting the dam break” at times. Thanks for checking in on the chat, Joan. 😀
Marian, that sore eye business is not fun! I get it every time we go to the cottage in summer, and I’ve finally figured out that I must be allergic to the sunscreen. That, plus feeling blue about your book sales and lack of new writing enthusiasm is not a good mix. Better days will come! Be proud and happy that you have a book out there. That is a big accomplishment on its own! I love Cliff’s illustration!
Elfrieda, I’ve lived long enough to know that “This too shall pass,” and it has. I’m glad we can cheer each other on as we make progress on this pilgrimage. I do thank God for my blessings and will surely count your encouragement as a marker in my gratitude book for today. Cliff will read your comment and be happy too. Thanks, my friend! 😀
I can so relate, Marian!
Of course you can, Luci. Writing, combined with motherhood, can be a real challenge.
Your book has arrived and I’m looking forward to delving into it soon. 😀
You have a small army of supporters behind you, and really, it is okay to have a less-than-stellar day. As many or as few as you need.
We first write for ourselves, and if others find that same writing to be inspirational/entertaining/teachable, we are deemed a success. But the true success is getting out of our own way to write in the first place.
Ginger, my small army of supporters seems mighty large today. Thanks for being one of them. What you say is very true. My temporary slump seems to have passed, and I am taking courage, knowing that the ability to write is a gift in itself.
I appreciate your encouragement! 😀
Oh, I can relate, dear Marian. I can’t imagine putting out a book during pandemic times–so I can’t imagine putting one out now. I’m writing it with a clear sense that I don’t have the energy or will to see it through to publication and promotion, but I continue writing. So what will I do with all this knowledge and personal involvement with Monarchs. I don’t know and I’m sad.
I also know the struggling body and being brought to tears by how hard it can be at times. I hope tears soothed your eyes–they’re the best balm of all. And I love the drawing from Cliff who sees it all and loves you through it all. And the quote from Corinthians reminding us to receive compassion and give it, including to ourselves.
You have traveled (and documented) your path of grief with a book and the joy of monarchs on your blog. Published or not, your writing has made its mark on the world. I appreciate your friendship and understanding through it all.
I hope today has been a good day for you, Elaine. Thank you! 😀
I am so sorry to read this post, dear Marian. It is good to have a good cry sometimes and ease your frustration and emotion. We have all been though a very tough 18 months and the pandemic isn’t finished yet so we are all feeling overwhelmed from time to time. If you are stuck with your writing, try leaving it for a few days and write something else. Write a descriptive piece about your garden or try a haiku. Switching writing focus seems to unclog the brain. This is why I have 5 WIPs. When one sticks in my head, I go to another for a while and that always fixes the problem. Hugs.
You speak with authority. Your track record speaks for itself!
Right now, I’m working on making sense of my blog posts to put into a themed book. Also, Cliff and I are arranging a story into a children’s book tentatively titled Kids and Oaks with the idea of giving children roots as they develop wings. Two WIPs, not 5. That’s our speed.
Thanks for offering sound advice, Robbie! 😀
Every writer needs a good cry from time to time. I Hope your eye cleares up soon. Sending hugs.
I discovered it was probably leakage from the sunscreen, so the pain eased after I applied saline solution. Thanks for your concern, Darlene! 😀
Seems like you had one of those days where anything can happen and does. I know you got through it.
You know me well, Shirley. I’m not one to stay in the Slough of Despond. Thanks for caring!
😀
Hello Marian, Thank you for creating this ‘wailing wall,’ and I’m here moaning right along with you. Love always. Dolores
The metaphor is just perfect, Dolores. Whether we are in the writing mood or not, we are certainly all in this together. Thanks so much!
From the photo, I thought something might be wrong with your eyes because you were reading the book upside down. I can relate to just needing to cry it out. We spent days clearing out the house we’ve lived in for over 20 years to prepare it for the new owners. Being beyond exhausted is cause for a good crying jag. Saying goodbye to a much-loved neighborhood and the wonderful people who live there is another. Sitting in an interim condo while waiting to close on our new house, and dealing with setting up computers and a slow internet…it all adds up.
Marian, crying is a great pressure valve and sometimes the pressure has become so familiar, we don’t know it’s about to blow until the urge to cry becomes irresistible. Thanks for sharing this. I feel like you’ve given me a warm hug and permission to cry. And, like you, once it’s over, there’s more room for joy.
Patty, I actually repurposed the feature photo from a blog-post about my eye disorder. The upside-down book pose was just an attention getter here: https://marianbeaman.com/2020/08/05/compensation-wedding-anniversary/ Ha!
We moved 5 years ago, and I can appreciate the upheaval of emptying a comfortable nest. I’m sorry you have to cope with interim housing, I hope you can make the final move very soon, a pre-Thanksgiving gratitude. I’m glad this post gave you a pressure valve with permission to cry. Here’s to joy — and more, Patty! ((( )))
There I was in your narrative but really had no idea that you were so down when we walked. It’s all the ups and downs every day that come to us so personally these days, as if we need to solve everything, before we can’t any more. Because who knows where we’ll be tomorrow so today must count for something!!! Let’s look forward….. it’s soon to be cool, and what a pleasure that will be for our walks then, right along with our sharing. Who knows, maybe someone will give us “onions'”.
Best, Barb
Hi, Barb. Thanks for appearing here as the Barbara in the narrative. Yes, I am looking forward to mornings in the 60s, beginning tomorrow. Thanks for caring.
Pain is temporary, they say, but if we quit it lasts forever. We are not quitters. 😀
Marian, I am glad you got your crying done! I don’t have any problem crying.
As for stuff in my eyes I sweat a lot!!! When I am gardening, I always wear a kerchief so the sweat won’t blind me.
Thank you again for your support and kindness. It was wonderful to see you at the FSCJ lunch.
Victoria
Yes, how lovely to see “old” friends at the luncheon. So, we sally forth with sweat and tears. Thanks for checking in, Victoria! 😀
Marian, it seems we are in great company with the frustration of pouring our hearts out in our writing and getting too little feedback, positive or otherwise. (Perhaps we should form a club!)
I too had an emotional slump after the excitement of launching my memoir. Although I kept up my blog and newsletter, it was a slog. Working in my garden was a salve. As someone mentioned, I’m also committed to working on the marketing of my book for one year before I turn my attention to other writing projects. I’m want to figure out how to find joy and contentment in the process. I hope you can find that too. I do feel a bit energized having just attended the Colorado Christian Writers Conference and taking the marketing classes.
Love the cartoon!
Linda, it’s lovely to see you here, bolstering up another author. We write in solitude but we don’t publish and promote alone. I love blogging but sometimes that and all my other projects feel like a slog. You said it perfectly!
Although I’m a member of several virtual writers’ groups, I’d love to attend a Conference in person. The one you mention sounds like a good fit for me. 😀
I’ve read many of your replies and am happy to hear that you are feeling better. Just so you know, I love stories that draw you into the details of the day-to-day and Mennonite Daughter was a great read. Plus, it taught me about something new and I find great joy in that. It sounds like you will curate your blog posts into a collection which is a phenomenal idea! Hugs xx.
Thank you for reading this post and being curious enough to read the comments here. Thank you too for reading my memoir. I wonder what details of my early life stood out.
You are right: I’m arranging some blog posts thematically into a collection. If something happens to WordPress (God forbid!) I’ll have a book. Thanks for the push here, Melanie! ;-D
Hi Marian. Different moments stood out to me such as running through old tombstones from the Revolutionary War (the fact that they were just there on your path really captured my imagination), the unfortunate relationship with your dad who was so unreachable (so was mine, but because of alcoholism), the showdown over clothing with the “leaders” of the school created a memorable frustration, the actual “everyday” photos from your life like the kitchen utensils and recipes brought me into your home. But I think your love story with Cliff and how it led you to exactly where and who you were supposed to be is what stays with me. And his drawing of you is beautiful. 🙂
Thanks for the listing here, Melanie. I’ve read over it again with pleasure.
It strikes me now that you’ve practically written a book review with all the detail. If you are so inclined, you could easily transfer these points into an Amazon book review. Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XL5FPW6#customerReviews
Absolutely no pressure. Either way, we will stay connected here on our blogs. Enjoy your weekend! 😀
Of course! 🙂 It’s in the review process now.
Huge thanks! 😀
My lovely Marian, you have accomplished far more, in less time than I. With much thoughtfulness, beauty and grace too. I certainly understand tears. Let me say what my Mom keeps telling me, especially these last few years bc they’ve been so lonely and hard: “God sees”. People will disappoint, and overlook, and forget to acknowledge or bless, but your Heavenly Father sees your heart and all your hard work, and He’s using you in ways that you can’t begin to imagine. You have certainly been a huge encouragement to me. xoxo
“God sees” is a fact written in the heavens that I sometimes fail to pay attention to. As you know, I love your writing style and the way you weave truth into ordinary life. We will keep on encouraging each other. Huge thanks, Jenn! ((( )))
Dear Marian, I appreciate your courage, honesty and openness. I need more of that kind of courage.
Reading this, I got teary-eyed. I felt better when I read the scripture at the end, and better still when I read the comments and knew that you are feeling better.
I tried to cry recently and couldn’t do it. I felt like I needed to cry, but it just didn’t happen. So I prayed instead and soon I felt better. 🙂
I’m glad this blog post encouraged you, Linda Lee. Prayer is talking to God, and He is the One who understands our feelings. Best of all, He can fix them. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Thank you for reading the post–and also the comments. Blessings to you! 😀
Oh yes I can so relate Marian. I’ve cried more tears this year than I have in my entire life, and as relieving as a good cry is, sadly, my load doesn’t seem to lessen. But yes, I’ve had that sunscreen melt into my eye, or sprayed myself in the eye with hairspray, they both hurt. I go straight to the tap and let the water run it out. It stings a bit, but not long after, there is vision again. 🙂 x
Debby dear, I certainly would not equate my short period of sadness with the deep grief you have experienced this year, but pain is pain no matter what the origin. I hope you will be able to travel soon. A change of scenery would help, especially with a friend.
“Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.”~ Leo Tolstoy
I don’t know whether this quote is true, but I do know that you loved George deeply. And I don’t think healing means “getting over it” either.
Perfect words by Tolstoy Marian. And you are correct, healing, according to the many books I’ve read on subject, means learning to find a way to live with the grief so it doesn’t continue to rip our hearts. I’m a long way from there, but the people who’ve lived this journey say it will come ‘in time’, and everyone’s timeline on grief is their own. And please, we all feel sadness for different things in life, nobody should ever be comparing one person’s grief with another. Hugs my friend. <3
Hugs, back to you! ((( )))
<3
Marian, This is the kind of self-disclosure that endears. Thanks.
Conrad, thank you for chiming in; I so appreciate it. I think of you and Carolyn and hope you are coping well these days. Take care! 😀
Better out than in! Things can only get better. Big hug. ❤
Thank you so much, my Maria Fatima! I’m fine now. Feeling down is part of the cycle of life, and I’m on the upswing. I hope you are too!
😀
Good Morning, Marian. So sorry you had such a terrible day. I’ve had several like that the last few months. The little things seem to pile up making it hard to move forward with my writing. After a week of distractions and lack of inspiration, I finally got back into my new book that I am 73,000 words into. Of course I left off at an emotional scene and ended up crying as I wrote. Didn’t help that it rained and was gloomy all day. About to take my 2 mile daily walk that always makes me feel better as I enjoy the lake and the ducks playing. Hope you are feeling better! Have a wonderful day!
You are right on time with this. Of course, I’m feeling better. As you know, writers train themselves to observe and analyze. Living in our heads makes us more vulnerable to the ebb and flow of our emotions.
If you are 73,000 words into your new project, you have a book already. Now the winnowing process and the feelings that go with it. I cried through several emotional scenes in the memoir you just reviewed. I think disclosing raw emotions we feel help our writing become more relatable to readers.
So you have a lake and ducks too. Wonderful! I walk everyday but not always two miles. Enjoy your day, Joy, and thanks for sharing the real and the hopeful here. 😀
Love Cliff’s drawing and sorry to hear you had the blues, Marian which I hope have gone by now…Enjoy your weekend and may the sunshine on you 🙂
Thanks, Carol! Yes, I’m out of the slump and looking up. Wishing you blue skies and bright sunshine in the Land of Smiles. 😀
I appreciate your candor, Marian, & can definitely relate. the writing life is not an easy one…
We’ve come full circle: da-Al, Darlene, and me. No one can deny the power of the internet to help us connect, in good and in tough times. 😀
Thanks for reading and commenting here!
definitely & well said <3
Me relate? YOU BET! 💞 How blessed we are that our God knows all about it and is always working behind the scenes for our good… “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God fo all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ~ II Corinthians 1:3-4, New International Version” Thanks for sharing. Sending lots of love your way! xo
I’m glad you can relate to this mood, and most importantly, experience also the Source of our Comfort. Hugs to you too, Bette! ((( )))
We have been away at our cottage, so I am days late coming to your post. By now I trust you are smiling again, and bucked up about your writing. I hope so, anyway. The emotional peaks and valleys of the writing journey are a challenge to navigate. We must keep reminding ourselves that another peak is coming.
I hope you have had a lovely time at your getaway cottage. We all need time to recharge.
Yes, feelings like this do pass. And, yes, I have cheered myself up as have the many commenters here. Thanks for the reminder to look for the peak and enjoy all the in-between stuff. Thanks, Arlene! 😀
Hi,
What can I say you don’t already know or have already heard. The life of a writer is lonely and sprinkled every now and then with a friend you can trust your inmost being to, but not too many understand that. That it is not moving as fast as you would like it to doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong track. It doesn’t mean that you’re a failure either. Be gentle with yourself. Take a fun day off. Write out a gratitude list in your journal. And don’t forget to look back. You have come a long way. And rejoice in the fact that you really are a writer.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem
You give sound advice, Pat, which I appreciate. Even though I know the facts about self-care and sending positive messages to my mind and heart, it’s good to be reminded. Like you, I write in my gratitude journal, a balm for the soul, and a way to stay connected to what really matters.
Hugs to you, Pat! (((( )))