Lindsay Sihilling shared this with me this morning, and I am happy to pass it on…
This is your conscience, artists and writers. You know that your conscience has tried in every possible subtle way to get you writing, drawing, singing, or dancing again, but you claim to be too busy, or too intent to begin as soon as….as soon as your child goes off to college, as soon as you retire, as soon as, as soon as. Both God and your conscience have given up on nuance and subtlety–therefore, this terrifying authoritarian figure as been summoned. He is pointing at YOU, you who wants to begin your memoir or novel, or join another choir or dance troupe. There is no such thing as “as soon as.” As soon as means “never.” “As soon as” means that someday you are going to DO regret having blown the invitation to create, to be an artist, to make marvelous music and messes and creations and gifts–gifts for you, and for us. It is part of our plan for world peace–“Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” So get to it, okay? Today for one 30 minute pod, of scribbling, singing, gathering found objects from a stream or garden, for a collage.
–Anne Lamott
