Nothing Great Was Ever Accomplished

Without Enthusiasm–a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that has stayed with me over the past few days. It helps.

I haven’t blogged much of late because I haven’t had much enthusiasm for writing here. I have felt a great deal of enthusiasm for the longer narrative stories I first drafted in the earlier 2000’s, have revised over the years, and am now revisiting and rewriting in earnest. My energy these days is also very much invested in my novel ms. and at last getting the final revisions to my agent–the greatest obstacle being fear.

More bad news has also pounded away much of my enthusiasm. My husband and I continue to be tested by life trails that I can’t and don’t want to talk about here. We’re solid together, it’s what continues to come at us that keeps us shaky.

The Penn State crimes and police brutality at OccupyVarious have also weighed heavily on my mind. Sometimes I can convince myself it’s enough that I raise two beautiful human beings, do something nice, however small, for someone once a day, and write the best stories I can–and other times I can’t.

Tomorrow promises to bring a burst of happiness fueled by family and friends. We’ll go downtown, watch a movie, likely The Muppets, go to a friend’s restaurant for our fill of traditional Thanksgiving dinner and then back to our house where the children can play together and the adults play poker.

I wish you all a very Happy and Peaceful Thanksgiving. Bring your enthusiasm.