I'm Divin' In!
"My heart is racing and my knees are weak--As I walk to the edge--I know there is no turning back
Once my feet have left the ledge-- And in the rush I hear a voice
That's telling me its time to take the leap of faith--So here I go
I'm diving in, I'm going deep, in over my head I want to be-- Caught in the rush, lost in the flow, in over my head I want to go-- The river's deep, the river's wide, the river's water is alive-- So sink or swim I'm diving in..."
--"Dive," Steven Curtis Chapman
So.
There I was two weeks ago, ready to attend my first meeting of the writing group. I knew I'd have to read my work out loud--for the first time. I hadn't even read aloud to family. I had a few thoughts running through my mind.
Which piece do I bring? What if it sounds bad? Or worse, corny? What if I think my writing's better than it really is? What if I can't breathe?
As a writer and blogger, metaphors are tools that I keep close to my reach. Whenever I experience a life moment, I look for the hidden metaphor. In this case, I realized that I could ponder the upcoming meeting till I was dizzy, or worry about it till I was blue in the face--but none of that would help me when the moment arrived.
Sort of like facing a swimming pool on a cool day. You know that water's going to be cold, at first. You can inch your way into the pool, but it will take forever. You'll be wet and cold for a long time. You can give up, go wrap yourself in a towel and watch the fun from the sidelines. Or, you can take a deep breath and just dive in.
It's a shock at first--it hurts. Brings tears to your eyes, even. But before you know it, you're used to the water and having fun with the rest of the party.
That's a lot like writing. Putting the first words on the page; sharing them with others for the first time; making the move to be published. It hurts, it's cold.
So here it is, Friday. Time for the writing group--time to read out loud. Much like my writing career, I have two options: Give up, or dive in.
I'm diving in!
~Christine
Once my feet have left the ledge-- And in the rush I hear a voice
That's telling me its time to take the leap of faith--So here I go
I'm diving in, I'm going deep, in over my head I want to be-- Caught in the rush, lost in the flow, in over my head I want to go-- The river's deep, the river's wide, the river's water is alive-- So sink or swim I'm diving in..."
--"Dive," Steven Curtis Chapman
So.
There I was two weeks ago, ready to attend my first meeting of the writing group. I knew I'd have to read my work out loud--for the first time. I hadn't even read aloud to family. I had a few thoughts running through my mind.
Which piece do I bring? What if it sounds bad? Or worse, corny? What if I think my writing's better than it really is? What if I can't breathe?
As a writer and blogger, metaphors are tools that I keep close to my reach. Whenever I experience a life moment, I look for the hidden metaphor. In this case, I realized that I could ponder the upcoming meeting till I was dizzy, or worry about it till I was blue in the face--but none of that would help me when the moment arrived.
Sort of like facing a swimming pool on a cool day. You know that water's going to be cold, at first. You can inch your way into the pool, but it will take forever. You'll be wet and cold for a long time. You can give up, go wrap yourself in a towel and watch the fun from the sidelines. Or, you can take a deep breath and just dive in.
It's a shock at first--it hurts. Brings tears to your eyes, even. But before you know it, you're used to the water and having fun with the rest of the party.
That's a lot like writing. Putting the first words on the page; sharing them with others for the first time; making the move to be published. It hurts, it's cold.
So here it is, Friday. Time for the writing group--time to read out loud. Much like my writing career, I have two options: Give up, or dive in.
I'm diving in!
~Christine
Labels: Writing
posted by mousewords at
4:52 PM
3 Comments:
It was great to have you come! You are a wonderful addition to the group. Not only is your writing tight but your comments are insightful,respectful, and most of all helpful.
Cool!
Laurie
Hey Christine,
I hope to see you Friday. Your input is invaluable.
Laurie
Thank you! I totally appreciate the input from the great writers (and nice people) in the group. :-)
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