The Year of the Dragon

I wish I could properly attribute this amazing work
of art. It was sent to me by a friend and I have
no clue where she found it!

It’s been nearly two months since I joined the ranks of America’s “unemployed” now. Between the holidays, a promising interview process that ended up not going where I hoped, and over a week of being stuck in bed with a high fever and the worse case of spins I’ve ever experienced, my life is finally starting to settle into a regular routine again.

The way I see it, just because I’m not punching in a time card doesn’t mean I don’t have any way to effectively employ my time. In fact, I often complained that my previous work schedule made it all but impossible for me to do what I really wanted to do with my life: Write and have the freedom to make a real difference in the lives of others.

I came to a decision last week when I was finally able to force my brain to focus on something other than the spiraling palm tree in the corner of my living room. I’ve been given a rare gift in the form of time and I could either spend it applying for job after job that I would only halfheartedly enjoy while worrying how to make ends meet, or I could spend the same amount of time looking for opportunities to do what I love.

When it all comes down to it, my needs are currently covered and while there are no fancy vacations or wardrobe makeovers in my immediate future, I can afford a few simple niceties here and there. And really, that’s all I need to be comfortable. I’m also single, which means I don’t have a family constantly clamoring for me to attend to their needs — all of which means that I can literally spend the majority of my day writing without feeling completely guilty about it. Talk about a major blessing! (I also have more time to focus on my youth ministry, which has been another incredible experience in itself.)

As I write this I’m finishing up the final stages of preparing to work on a pretty exciting project with someone I made a random connection with via Twitter a couple of years ago, which has since turned into a friendship. I just sent off a proposal for an article to a youth magazine I follow, and am waiting to hear back from the editor. And I’ve been added to the mailing list to receive the next batch of editorial topics for another magazine I hope to be able to write for. Add to that, I’ve joined a freelance board and have bid on a couple other small writing projects that I hope will eventually lead to some additional lines in my writer’s resume. Right now it’s all speculative, but when a farmer plants his fields he has no guarantee of a abundant harvest either.

I’ve been an editor for ten years now with dreams of being a writer who does more that sketches ideas and has an occasional short piece published. Now that I have the chance to do so I don’t want to miss out. None of this will come easy. It’s going to require all lot of dedication and sacrifice on my part. I just have to believe that this is a dream ultimately worth pursuing day after day after day.

Could I end up falling flat on my face? Of course! Could this end up being an unmitigated disaster? Possibly. But it’s a risk I have to be willing to take. And I am.

I think it’s fitting that the first day of my new routine happened to fall on the Chinese New Year. Though I can’t claim any connection to their culture, it’s a new year for me too. The fact that it’s the year of the dragon — a symbol that represents strength, courage, and fierce determination to me — is an added bonus.

The year ahead will be filled with challenges. But I am ready to face them head on. How about you?