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| 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! |
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?
