Loved reading this—so succinct and yet beautifully introspective!
I especially appreciated your thoughts on how a practice requires faith—faith that the "useless and challenging" aspects are worthwhile and will add up to something! Writing, especially writing well, takes up SO much energy and attention, it's almost unbelievable how much…so why do we do it? Why do we struggle to fit it around our day jobs and our social lives?
It's hard to explain, in the way that many faith-based and devotional practices are hard to explain. It simply feels intrinsically worthwhile and life-affirming.
I really loved reading your story—it resonated with me deeply. The way you describe repetition reminded me of my own experiences with writing, painting, my career as a trader, but also just watching the colourful birds in my garden. It's fascinating how each session of - of anything really - adds a layer of depth and understanding. Since I have gained the patience to focus more on the journey itself rather than the outcomes, I started to feel more alive.
You write so so beautifully. And this was a very timely topic, as I have been making notes on repetition lately as well. This both confirmed my thoughts and brought a new richness to them.
Especially loved: "You can do something mundane a million times and still discover something profoundly alive, novel, and worth wonder. I’ve seen this before, but I choose to see it with new eyes"
I appreciate your authentic and sweet writing. I was, perhaps sadly, thinking that the repetition you were just writing about resonated w me in how i seem to be caught in a loop w my girlfriend. Repeating relationship patterns. Some good. Some not-so-good.
I always look forward to the notification e-mail for your writing. I always feel like certain aspects of my current state of mind or maybe being, being articulated. Thank you.
I loved this piece, especially as I read it during a rainstorm with my screen door open. It was like I was smelling the streets of San Francisco from hundreds of miles away.
I so appreciate the honesty of where you’re at and what you’re putting out. It’s beautifully written so the fact it wasn’t edited a million times is even more impressive!
I find myself struggling with this a lot—wanting to write more for Substack but finding the time because it means taking time from other things including novel writing and it’s such a balance. Seeing you say that you’re just writing and putting what you write and putting it out there is a bit of inspiration to do the same, even if it’s not perfect or succinct all the time :)
Loved reading this—so succinct and yet beautifully introspective!
I especially appreciated your thoughts on how a practice requires faith—faith that the "useless and challenging" aspects are worthwhile and will add up to something! Writing, especially writing well, takes up SO much energy and attention, it's almost unbelievable how much…so why do we do it? Why do we struggle to fit it around our day jobs and our social lives?
It's hard to explain, in the way that many faith-based and devotional practices are hard to explain. It simply feels intrinsically worthwhile and life-affirming.
I really loved reading your story—it resonated with me deeply. The way you describe repetition reminded me of my own experiences with writing, painting, my career as a trader, but also just watching the colourful birds in my garden. It's fascinating how each session of - of anything really - adds a layer of depth and understanding. Since I have gained the patience to focus more on the journey itself rather than the outcomes, I started to feel more alive.
You write so so beautifully. And this was a very timely topic, as I have been making notes on repetition lately as well. This both confirmed my thoughts and brought a new richness to them.
Especially loved: "You can do something mundane a million times and still discover something profoundly alive, novel, and worth wonder. I’ve seen this before, but I choose to see it with new eyes"
I appreciate your authentic and sweet writing. I was, perhaps sadly, thinking that the repetition you were just writing about resonated w me in how i seem to be caught in a loop w my girlfriend. Repeating relationship patterns. Some good. Some not-so-good.
I always look forward to the notification e-mail for your writing. I always feel like certain aspects of my current state of mind or maybe being, being articulated. Thank you.
I could read this over and over. Thank you for sharing
I loved this piece, especially as I read it during a rainstorm with my screen door open. It was like I was smelling the streets of San Francisco from hundreds of miles away.
I so appreciate the honesty of where you’re at and what you’re putting out. It’s beautifully written so the fact it wasn’t edited a million times is even more impressive!
I find myself struggling with this a lot—wanting to write more for Substack but finding the time because it means taking time from other things including novel writing and it’s such a balance. Seeing you say that you’re just writing and putting what you write and putting it out there is a bit of inspiration to do the same, even if it’s not perfect or succinct all the time :)
“I’ve seen this before and choose to see it with new eyes” is another line of your fantastic words I am noting in my journal! What a gem of a phrase!
"I don’t think many writers discuss writing creative pieces regularly with a (very unrelated) full time job."
yes! especially when that job uses a completely different side of your brain – i feel this so much