Six years ago, we faced a national crisis. But many of us faced a personal crisis as well. In the face of such tragedy, such monumental sorrow, how could we move on? How could we continue our pursuit of happiness, when so many others’ had been cut off?
Our society often tells us that the pursuit of art is self-indulgent. But a friend of mine once told me that art is the soul of the world, and artists are the protectors of that soul. I thought about his words often after 9/11. I think the soul of our world is bruised and battered and that our work is more important than ever.
I was four blocks away when that first tower fell and I’ve avoided every anniversary. The anniversaries remind me that I’m not safe. But this morning I woke up determined not to avoid this day. I woke up thinking that it would be better, braver and more productive to choose hope. So today I am choosing hope instead of fear.
Facing the page is about choosing hope. It’s about saying, “I’m a writer, and yeah it’s hard, and yeah it’s a struggle, and yeah I might not sell a book this year, but I’m still going to sit down and write something today.” Every sentence we write is an act of bravery. Every page we pen is a victory. Every day we face the page instead of avoiding it is a day that we are choosing hope instead of fear.
So my wish for you, today and all days, is to choose hope. I don’t think the fear ever goes away, but hope is always more powerful. Hope will put words on a page; fear won’t. Choose Hope. Face the Page.
1 comment:
Thanks for reminding me that every sentence counts. I remember that feeling of helplessness the day the towers fell, as if my stories had no relevance in a world gone so horribly wrong.
I am struggling with writer's block (real life just sometimes gets in the way of creativity), and it's good to remember that every word on the page is a victory, especially when some days all I can manage is a handful of words on the page.
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