Our choice: Rise to greatness or wallow in mediocrity

“It is in the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him.”  —John Steinbeck

These words greet me twice a week as I prepare to push myself in physical therapy. Though a lot of energy is going into keeping track of reps, making sure each of my muscles are in proper alignment, and focusing on breaking past the mental block of anticipated pain, this quote still finds room to rattle away in my brain; as do all the other inspirational quotes and pictures of world-famous athletes surrounding me.

This week I happened to look at my bookshelf after returning home and realized Steinbeck had it right. Each story I cherish begins with ordinary people who became heroes because they recognized there was something they had to do, and that the fate of their world depended on it.

Bilbo Baggins chose to join a quest so quickly he forgot his hat and handkerchief at home. He went head to head with a dragon and lived to tell of it. His nephew decided to take on the task of destroying the ring Bilbo “won” in a game of riddles. He lost more than his finger, but more than his life was saved.

Pastor Dedrick Bonhoeffer set aside his life in order to stand opposed to the evil he saw coming out of the leadership of the Third Reich. He was executed just before the Allies freed Germany, but his life continues to inspire and the writings he never “perfected” impact countless lives each year.

And little Hellen Keller learned she didn’t have to have sight to see or ears to hear. Instead, with a little help from Anne Sullivan, she found a way to live vibrantly rather than wallow forever in the dungeon of “Life’s not fair.” And our world is a better place because of it.

Whether real or created, each of the individuals represented on my shelves captured my attention and admiration because they chose the path of the impossible, recognizing there was no other way to move forward in their lives.

That’s when it occurred to me: If it’s in the nature of man to rise to greatness when greatness is expected, then the reverse is also true.

It is in our nature to wallow in mediocrity if mediocrity is all that is required of us.

I’m not sure why it is that way, but so many of us, myself included, can be trapped into believing we have nothing of value to offer the world.

We’re not educated enough. Not attractive enough. Not driven enough. Not bold enough. Not strong enough….

And so like John Watson at the beginning of the BBC pilot of “Sherlock,” we sit in a chair and sullenly state, “Nothing ever happens to me.” Little do we understand that is only true so long as we allow it to be.

Is there an opportunity waiting on your doorstep today? Is a little choice knocking that has to potential to become a great adventure? Let’s stop hiding in the pantry chewing on the food of discontentment and mediocrity and throw the door wide open!

Yes, the road to greatness is filled with hurdles, hurts, trials, and disappointments. But there is a payoff at the end.

On the other hand, the cupboard of mediocrity houses only discouragement and regret.

Tulle, Lace, and Ribbons...for the bride!

On Saturday, my little sister will begin her new life with an incredible young man. And we are all incredibly excited for her!

Needless to say, we currently find ourselves surrounded by enough tulle, lace, and ribbon to swaddle the mountains that hem in our beautiful valley. Now, if only those same mountains will drive away the clouds are supposedly going to sweep in come this weekend. (The wedding is outside!)

Rain or shine, it is going to be a beautiful ceremony and the chaos of the past few weeks of preparation has given me plenty of food for thought, and feast of ideas for future use in my own writing. This is what a writer's life should be like!

If you're finding yourself drained this week, take some time off to enjoy the beautiful summer weather. Do something creative. Then get back to your desk and write about what you discovered!

When Endings lead to Beginnings

I just crossed a first off of life’s list this morning: I filed my initial claim for unemployment. Being jobless is a box I would rather not have checked, but at the same time I am confident this is a moment in time that is going to afford me new opportunities and it reminds me I have a lot to be thankful for.

First, I got to work closely with my family for ten out of the sixteen years we published. I got to watch my dad’s dream grow into a magazine that was enjoyed by a lot of people from various walks of life. I had a job in my chosen career field while I was in college. And I have been able to continue growing my skills in the years since.

As hard as it is to see something you’ve put so much effort into building fade into a memory, and as much as it stinks that we had to make this decision during a season that’s supposed to be merry and bright, it seems fitting that closing the doors at Model Railroad News comes at the end of the year.  A lot of people think 2012 will be the year the world ends. Personally, I’m looking at it as a year of beginnings.

It’s a universal truth: In order for new beginnings to take place, there has to be endings. A seed has to die for a flower to grow. The flower blooms and withers to create a new seed. A caterpillar has to enter the chrysalis and shed its former self in order to emerge a butterfly. I sometimes wonder: If the seed and the caterpillar could think and feel the way humans do, would there be fear or doubt as they enter their metamorphosis?

In nature, change is just a part of the life cycle. For humans, its something we tend to shun.  We may not necessarily like where we are in life, but it’s what we know  — and there is comfort in familiarity. But if our routine never changes we face stagnation. I’ve come to the conclusion that just as stagnation results in death in nature, it’s deadly for the human soul as well.

Like so many others without a steady job right now, I have absolutely no idea what’s next. Maybe I’m insane. Maybe I’m still in shock. But I’m excited. There is an entire realm of possibility available to me now. There are new challenges to face. New lessons to learn. And new adventures to be had.

In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins tells Gandalf that adventures are horribly uncomfortable things and he was happy to stay in his hobbit home for the rest of his life. Gandalf in his wisdom recognizes these to be the words of someone who isn’t as content about his life as he claims, but rather who is too afraid to step out his front door. Of all the companions who journeyed to the Lonely Mountain, Bilbo was the most bold and vigilant. While the others got discouraged and lost their way, he came to life. The only thing he’d needed was a good nudge in the right direction to get him moving.

I see myself the same way. I’ve always dreamed of visiting the unknown but have hesitated to step over the threshold, and I have often used my job and my family as my excuse. Like Bilbo, I now find myself running out the door without any clue of where I’m going. I may meet some trolls, goblins, elves, and dragons along the way, but they’ll give me some interesting stories to tell. And I can’t wait to share them. You never know who those tales will inspire!

Note to self: It’s pretty cold out there right now. Remember your hat!

 

30 Days of Thankfulness in Writing – Day 13: Peanut Butter and Ketchup Sandwiches

Last night I had time enough after walking through the door to hang up my coat, stash my laptop, and replace some scattered books to their respective shelves before the doorbell rang. At the door were two young guests, both under the age of seven, who would be spending the evening with me while their mom and dad had a much-needed date night.

As a single woman, my apartment isn’t exactly a child’s paradise, but whenever the two munchkins come to visit they end up having more than a good time. If it wasn’t for my downstairs neighbors having two little ones themselves, I’d wonder what they thought of the shrieks, giggles, and occasional booms coming from overhead.

One of their favorite things to talk about when here is how they are standing over someone else’ home. Everyone else they know lives in a real house, so the concept of an apartment building is still novel to them. “Am I standing on a light bulb, Edifur?” “We have to tiptoe so we don’t wake up the baby, right?” And with every little sound of a door closing or someone moving outside I get asked, “What was that? Are they coming here? Is it mommy and daddy already?”

If you haven’t already guessed, my honorary munchkins are more than a little inquisitive. I always try to find funny ways to answer their silly questions, but I also try to answer their serious ponderings as honestly, and simply as I can. Don’t ask me why, but for some reason last night they were asking me about Golden Dragons and Vampire Bats. They’re also storytellers (a family trait). They love regaling me with tales about something that happened — usually repeatedly with more and more laughs each time — and I do my best to act just as surprised the tenth time as I did the first.

After playing tickle monster, letting them beat me at Wii Sports (which was surprisingly difficult for my competitive nature to handle), and teaching them how to play checkers (they saw my crystal chessboard in the “library” room and wanted to play with it), I decided it was time to settled down on the couch with a book. Bed time had come and gone, and I didn’t want the Munchkins to turn into Munsters. 

I ended up selecting Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. It’s a little old for them, but I really enjoy the series and I thought Percy’s perspective would keep them entertained. Of course the things I found charmingly goofy they found to be pure genius. A crazy girl named Nancy Bobofit who loves peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches? A teacher who sprouts bat wings and then explodes into a pile of sand? If my neighbors hadn’t been wondering what was going on in the apartment of the “quiet girl who’s never home” before, they were now.  (By the way, Viv, I take full responsibility if they start calling Nana Grandma Nancy Bobofit or if they asked for an odd breakfast this morning!)

Last night served as a much needed reminder  to me that it’s the simple things that leave the biggest impact. The world is still fresh and full of possibilities to a four- and five-year old. Life is all about adventure and excitement. It’s something that’s easy to forget when slogging through each day trying to figure out how to make ends meet.

So, as I get back to writing today I’ve decided I need to find my own Nancy Bobofit and maybe some peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches....

30 Days of Thankfulness in Writing – Day 5: Improvising

It’s easy to focus on the negative in the world around us. In observation of a month many dedicate to counting their blessings, I’ve started a 30-day challenge in which I’ll focus on one aspect of my writing life for which I am thankful. I’d love to have you join by sharing about something that has blessed your own writing life in the comments section below. - Jen

Technically it’s the 8th day of the month, but between traveling for a few days and then forgetting my laptop power adapter, it makes it a little difficult to post. So rather than combining days I’ll stick with my original 30-day plan. What does it matter if I go into December? November doesn’t hold the license on Thankfulness any more than February holds the patent on Love, right? Which brings me to another aspect of my writing life I am thankful for: improvising.

Let’s face it — the best-laid plans always have an Achilles Heel, especially when technology is involved. Aside from losing my power cord, my car decided to go on the fritz even though I’d just gotten the all clear from my mechanic. And when visiting with family to celebrate a major milestone it is often frowned upon to hole oneself up to reach a daily word count. (Not to mention you also miss out on creating memories.)

Not writing wasn’t so big a deal. I had ideas and I’d jot them down in my notebook for later, but when it came to handling the car problems I wondered more than once, “What would one of my characters do in this situation?” I ask myself that question a lot when I find myself in a sticky situation. Would they panic? Would they cross their arms, sit down, and quit all together? Or would they come up with something entirely unexpected?

The answer was unequivocally, the latter. My characters would improvise. When a goal is blocked in fiction our characters don’t just give up. We’d stop writing (or reading) if they did. Instead they find a way AROUND the obstacle and then get back on track as quickly as possible. No matter what happens, what delays they face, they never take their eyes off their final goal or destination.

I recently started re-reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s about a shepherd boy looking for his personal legend — a treasure he kept dreaming about. In one leg of his journey he joins a caravan to reach the Great Pyramids. There are plenty of obstacles to face along the way but as one of the camel drivers tells him, “Once you get into the desert, there is no going back. And when you can’t go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.”

Life is a lot like the desert. Especially the writing life. The way forward is rarely straight and direct. There are plenty of rocks to go around, pitfalls to be avoided, and thieves in the night to watch for (I’m looking at you, Facebook!). Sometimes life forces us to improvise. Like our characters, we can’t sit still. There’s no story to tell in that.  So I’m taking a cue from my favorite literary friends and will find a new way around these funky little obstacles. I’ll continue moving forward.

What inspires you to write?

Earlier this summer, I asked a couple of my friends if they would be willing to share what inspires them to write. This week, my dear friend Brittney Breakey weighs in....

What inspires me to write? That is such a huge question. To say everything would be cheating, right? Okay, how about my top five?

The Power of Suggestion

Mom and I were in the office, unpacking boxes—way past my bedtime. She reached for a shabby book. “I remember loving this one,” she said. “Britt, you should read this.”

Being eight years old, I took her words very seriously. In the midst of empty pizza boxes and packing peanuts, I grabbed the book, scurried to my bedroom, and zipped through the first half of The Hidden Staircase. When I read the last page, I had a serious decision to make. Should I be a detective like Nancy Drew or a writer like Carolyn Keene? You can probably guess which one I chose.

I began filling spiral notebooks with stories like The Escape of Rose Collins, The Wacky Hat Party, and Minnie May the Cat. I got so busy writing, I stopped reading altogether.

But don’t worry. I didn’t stay stupid forever.

My Rekindled Love for Reading

I wrote my first book without reading more than two books of fiction. Shudder. Can you believe it? Then I listened to an interview and the author said, “Don’t even think about writing until you’ve read at least 100 books.” I took those words seriously and thirty days later, I’d read 32 middle grade novels. Talk about a powerful wave of rejuvenation! Now I can’t go a day without reading fiction. It’s food to a writer’s belly.

The Library—The Best Place on Earth

Oh my goodness, I could sit and read in the library for my whole life. The second I enter those glass doors, time stops. And that is the honest truth.

Livin’ Life Kick-Starts Creativity

Life is packed with writing material. You accidentally burp into the microphone as you’re reciting the Declaration of Independence. A wasp stings your ear the second you say, “Will you marry me?” You wet your pants when a cousin sneaks up and scares you. You get attacked by wasps on a family camping trip. You slip on a banana slug and break your leg. All these things are downright miserable, but they all scream Book Material! You can take the worst day that you ever had, give it time and it will become hilarious. Horrible Day + Time = Powerful/Funny Story. As Neil Gaiman says, “Go get your heartbroken. Then come back and write about it.”

My Greatest Inspiration—Matthew Allan Jones

Every Saturday, my brother, Matt, and I read my work-in-progress, which he calls “Top Secret.” It’s truly the simple things he says that inspire me to keep going. He’ll quote a line and look at me, waiting to see if I caught on. Then we’ll share a smile. Or he’ll ask me to read a chapter again, just because he likes it. Or he’ll text me during the week, wondering how many words I’ve written. His innocent enthusiasm for this story is pushing me to persevere.

About Brittney Breakey

Brittney is a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature and the Christian Writers Guild. She’s currently working on a humorous middle grade mystery novel—and loving it. She also operates Author Turf, a site exclusively created to showcase authors.

Don’t just write…live!

Me and two of my fellow Jr. High Councilors
 on theme day.

Between spending eight days in Washington with my youth group and coming home to help my best friend and partner in youth ministry hurriedly sort, decide what to toss and keep, and then load up a truck and trailer before heading off to Moody Bible Institute to begin his Masters program, it’s been a busy two weeks. And writing just wasn’t in the mix.

But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t filing things away for later use. One thing I’ve always been able to do is capture images and stories and store them for later. My above-mentioned friend likes to joke that I have a steel trap for a brain so I remember everything, including what he was wearing the first time we met at a summer camp in high school (which for the record, I couldn’t tell you if my life depended on it!). That said, working as a councilor for summer camp comprised of over a hundred kids from various churches across the Pacific Northwest gave me quite a bit of new material to work with…such as the women sitting behind us at the Mariner’s game who lamented their single status with more and more fervor with every sip of beer to the point that a couple of my high school boys leaned over to me and said “It’s no wonder they’ll never get more than a first date! Make them shut up!”

And there was the middle school girl in my cabin who was quite the tomboy — stocky in build, frizzy of hair, and an absolute hoot who loved to run around the camp yelling out a rooster’s “Caw-Caw” as her battle cry. This young lady went on to out belly flop the boys in our belly flopping competition and her victory plunge consisted of the loudest “Caw-Caw” of all…followed by a slap that echoed across the campground.

I also discovered how strong she was when I startled her while silently following her through the dungeon of the dragon’s lair (an obstacle course with unseen booby traps — we had a medieval theme this year) and wacked her on the leg with a foam pool toy when she “tripped” when of the traps. She spun on me quicker than I expected with her PVC pipe flag and wacked me in the face twice and another councilor once before I managed to grab the weapon from her hand. Let’s just say that as the other campers began their journey the first thing they were warned was that no matter what happened, they were not to hit councilors in the face.

Intermixed with the fun and games, however, I was also reminded how hard life can be for some of these young people. Sitting and listening to some of the girls as they broke down and shared their fears, the lies they believed about themselves, and revealed a glimpse into the difficult home lives they had to return to was one of the most heartbreaking experiences I’ve had in a long time. There were several times I could only sit in silence and be there for them.

If anything, these past two weeks have served as a lesson that writing isn’t just about sitting in front of the computer pounding out a set number of words each day. It’s an organic process that requires listening and empathizing with the world around us. It involves seemingly unrelated day-to-day activities. It includes cataloging personality traits and allowing memories to trigger other memories. It necessitates interacting with strangers and forming new ties of friendship. And it means always being open to trying something new.

My schedule doesn’t show any signs of clearing up again anytime soon, in fact I’ll be more busy in the weeks ahead than I have been, but I am excited to start squeezing in my writing time again. I can already feel the germs of some new ideas beginning to sprout.

A Writer’s Knapsack

Clothes for 3 days ✓

Toiletries ✓

Sun Block ✓

Bathing Suit/Beach Towel ✓

Hiking Shoes ✓

Moleskine Notebook ✓✓

Extra pens ✓

Spiral Notebook ✓

Journals ✓

A re-awakened thirst for adventure & inspiration ­✓✓✓

See you all next week!

Jen