Years ago, while going through an exceptionally difficult time, I wondered if my life would ever be happy or even feel normal again. I prayed and leaned on God to take away the pain that fought for a home in my heart.
Then one day, while walking through my neighborhood, I noticed crocus poking up through the ground. The blooms were a sign. Spring had arrived.
Soon after, my walks included the breathtaking blooming cherry trees, rhododendrons, and azaleas—not to mention tulips and daffodils.
I closed my eyes, inhaled fresh air, and tilted my face toward the sun. I realized that spring had not only arrived due to the cycle of nature, it had come for me as well. I’d made it through my own winter, and my heart was lighter than it had been for a long time.
Spring has a way of making life look brighter. Nature coming back to life after a gloomy or cold winter gives us hope, and it helps us believe in new beginnings.
What about you?
Are you in need of a fresh start either personally or professionally?
A drawer—or computer file—filled with rejections from publishers or agents can discourage us from trying again. Unsupportive words from family or friends may hurt and make us feel like failures. Personal schedules and responsibilities can leave us feeling like there is no time to pursue our dreams.
Did you know that if you have a caterpillar’s cocoon, and you take a razor blade and cut it open so that you can pull out the butterfly, it will never fly? In order for a butterfly to have strong wings and a solid body it needs to struggle and fight its way out of the cocoon. If we allow frustration and disappointment to come between us and our calling—our passion—our dream, then we’re like butterflies that refuse to fight their way out of their cocoons to freedom and flight.
Perhaps you’ve been banging your head against the computer screen because a story you’ve toiled over for months isn’t working. Try writing something new! Try writing in a different genre.
If you’re feeling discouraged, reach out to another writer who will understand; offer that person support, encouragement, and accountability in return for the same.
Maybe you’ve had to put your writing aside for a season in order to take care of other people or responsibilities, and now that you have time to write, it feels overwhelming to jump in again. Rejoice! You have a chance for a fresh start!
We become writers because we have large imaginations. We also believe in the power of story to entertain, teach, empower, and change lives.
Well … we have our own story, and to a great degree, we can write it ourselves. What about our own character arcs, personal goals, inner conflicts? What will we do in our own lives to bring about a satisfy ending?
Winter is over! It's spring—the perfect time for a fresh start!
~ Dawn
