I love this. And I especially love the giraffe! I have had that same argument in my own head. Just wrote a long SS post about how much work it is to publish and market a book...it is hard to remember to play too!
Thank you! The giraffe was such a surprise to me because the prompt was to draw something upside down. I had no idea that it would actually look like a giraffe when I turned it the right way. I was shocked when it did!
Nice giraffe! I did that 30-day drawing challenge too! Only did a handful of the days, but I loved it. It got me out of bed (okay, sometimes I was still in bed) at 6am to draw. Also, I read your book Wild and loved your description of Monster, your backpack. It cracked me up. And I was inspired by your book too. How much you care and are rocked by as well as rock life is evident.
Baaah. I’ve really struggled with allowing myself to play since going to school for writing. It’s that little voice saying, “You could be using this time to be productive!!” And it’s not just writing, either. I like crocheting. And playing guitar. And hiking. But all of those things are hard to enjoy with that nagging voice. Anyway. I’m glad I saw this pop up in my email. I’m weeks away from finally submitting my book, and I’ve been stressing over wtf I’m going to do with myself after I’m finished with it. At some point it kinda became my identity. Like….who even am I if I’m not working on this thing? But maybe I should just take a deep breath and spend the summer playing.
Also, my cussing sage sees and appreciates yours. 😂
Love the reminder that our drawing, singing, dancing, running, love of animals, writing all started out as play. Then school and critique and the American ethos of show and tell Big Time squeezes it out of so many. Thanks for what you do.
Thank you for this wonderful reminder to make things that are not writing. ❤️ And it's true- you have done so much since WILD came out; written many books within books. We will all be here when your next one arrives in the world, but it's obvious you're doing many worthwhile things in the mean time.
Often find myself forgetting this (and getting caught in “things to add to a bio” versus remembering to enjoy the process). Also, so important to stop and acknowledge what we have accomplished instead of worrying about what’s next.
There are two recent-ish episodes of We Can Do Hard Things about play that I listened to this week. They sort of gutted me. And now, reading this, I feel like the universe is trying to tell me something. Life feels like death by a thousand cuts lately, so perhaps I need to take the message seriously and stop being so serious. Thanks for the nudge and being a voice that I need (and love) to hear sometimes. Hugs!!
You just reminded me to play, and love being IN the creative process without thinking about cranking OUT a product. Thank you! It’s just what I needed to hear. (I have been beating myself up because book # 2 has not gelled.)
I live in the Berkshires and tried to get into the in person at Kripalu— it was sold out. So glad to hear about Omega in October. Best, beautiful, things to you! 💕
The truest story is the wildest one. The one that shines the truest light borne by one’s despair. Cleaning it up again and again, despair after despair. It’s hard to write without that light. You end up listing only all the named things you haven’t done. It’s hard to burn the things you haven’t done to light the list of unnamed things you’ve made. It’s hard to move from there to there if there’s despair in both directions. The light is brightest where you harness it. Not there, not there, but here. Eventually you’ll find yourself in the direction of a clock hanging near a poster saying You Are There. "And time's almost up," you’ll say. When your truest light is here, you play wild in all directions. The wildest time to get there is the time that shines the light on all the unnamed things you always knew were here. It’s wild how time will show you all the things you’ve made when you move with its direction: Forward, only to return you home to the place you’ve never been.
Last weekend I took a wonderful on-line art class that was all about mark-making, collage and play. Realizing and accepting the importance of play in any creative practice is essential to letting go of those negative voices that hold us hostage. I had such a blast!
Same! Although you’d be hard-pressed to recognize my drawing as a giraffe 😆
Rachel and her husband were parents at our elementary school. Loved reading about this here!
I love them both so much (and also their wonderful daughters)!
We love the girls too! Say hi.
I love this. And I especially love the giraffe! I have had that same argument in my own head. Just wrote a long SS post about how much work it is to publish and market a book...it is hard to remember to play too!
Thank you! The giraffe was such a surprise to me because the prompt was to draw something upside down. I had no idea that it would actually look like a giraffe when I turned it the right way. I was shocked when it did!
What? That's unbelievable.
It really is a lovely giraffe. That shock of it coming into being (eventually) often happens right-side up too. Such a buzz. Such a world.
Nice giraffe! I did that 30-day drawing challenge too! Only did a handful of the days, but I loved it. It got me out of bed (okay, sometimes I was still in bed) at 6am to draw. Also, I read your book Wild and loved your description of Monster, your backpack. It cracked me up. And I was inspired by your book too. How much you care and are rocked by as well as rock life is evident.
If you really want to dive deep into why play is so important at every age, check out Professor Peter Gray's Substack: https://substack.com/@petergray
Baaah. I’ve really struggled with allowing myself to play since going to school for writing. It’s that little voice saying, “You could be using this time to be productive!!” And it’s not just writing, either. I like crocheting. And playing guitar. And hiking. But all of those things are hard to enjoy with that nagging voice. Anyway. I’m glad I saw this pop up in my email. I’m weeks away from finally submitting my book, and I’ve been stressing over wtf I’m going to do with myself after I’m finished with it. At some point it kinda became my identity. Like….who even am I if I’m not working on this thing? But maybe I should just take a deep breath and spend the summer playing.
Also, my cussing sage sees and appreciates yours. 😂
I totally relate. I put painting and beading off to accomplish.
I have a strong hunch, no, certainty that your inner sage read Mark Twain’s quote: When mad, count 10. When really mad, swear.
Love the reminder that our drawing, singing, dancing, running, love of animals, writing all started out as play. Then school and critique and the American ethos of show and tell Big Time squeezes it out of so many. Thanks for what you do.
Oh! The soft, kind eyes of the giraffe! 💜 I would like to become his best friend now.
See you in Kripalu.💙🙏
Thank you for this wonderful reminder to make things that are not writing. ❤️ And it's true- you have done so much since WILD came out; written many books within books. We will all be here when your next one arrives in the world, but it's obvious you're doing many worthwhile things in the mean time.
I love your paragraph describing "play."
Often find myself forgetting this (and getting caught in “things to add to a bio” versus remembering to enjoy the process). Also, so important to stop and acknowledge what we have accomplished instead of worrying about what’s next.
There are two recent-ish episodes of We Can Do Hard Things about play that I listened to this week. They sort of gutted me. And now, reading this, I feel like the universe is trying to tell me something. Life feels like death by a thousand cuts lately, so perhaps I need to take the message seriously and stop being so serious. Thanks for the nudge and being a voice that I need (and love) to hear sometimes. Hugs!!
Play. Yes yes. I needed to hear it, too.
You just reminded me to play, and love being IN the creative process without thinking about cranking OUT a product. Thank you! It’s just what I needed to hear. (I have been beating myself up because book # 2 has not gelled.)
I live in the Berkshires and tried to get into the in person at Kripalu— it was sold out. So glad to hear about Omega in October. Best, beautiful, things to you! 💕
Thanks, Barbara! It might be worth calling them again. There are always last minute cancelations, so spots open up!
I’m on the waiting list!
Good one, Cheryl!!!
The Truest Story
The truest story is the wildest one. The one that shines the truest light borne by one’s despair. Cleaning it up again and again, despair after despair. It’s hard to write without that light. You end up listing only all the named things you haven’t done. It’s hard to burn the things you haven’t done to light the list of unnamed things you’ve made. It’s hard to move from there to there if there’s despair in both directions. The light is brightest where you harness it. Not there, not there, but here. Eventually you’ll find yourself in the direction of a clock hanging near a poster saying You Are There. "And time's almost up," you’ll say. When your truest light is here, you play wild in all directions. The wildest time to get there is the time that shines the light on all the unnamed things you always knew were here. It’s wild how time will show you all the things you’ve made when you move with its direction: Forward, only to return you home to the place you’ve never been.
🫀, Grandson
Last weekend I took a wonderful on-line art class that was all about mark-making, collage and play. Realizing and accepting the importance of play in any creative practice is essential to letting go of those negative voices that hold us hostage. I had such a blast!
Thanks Cheryl for encouraging us.