Reflections: Keep On Keeping On

This year the Slice of Life Challenge seemed harder than the past two years.  At the beginning of the month, slices seemed rusty and not really what I wanted to post, but the deadline loomed. Comments seemed fewer and farther-in-between than in the past.  Those comments really do make a difference, even when the slice isn’t the “best” ever.  

 

In one slice, my writing reflected my thinking about those differences and comments, or the lack thereof.  Interestingly, a few of the comments that I received on that slice reminded me that I should be writing for myself, not for another’s comments. So true!  Another person commented on my obvious commitment to myself to write everyday and to persevere. So true!  The comments I read that day gave me the shot in the arm I needed to keep on keeping on.  My perspective shifted. My focus did, too. I knew I would, but I committed yet again to keep writing.  

 

And so I did.  I kept writing.  I kept commenting.  In fact, I decided to be part of the solution.  I tried to comment faithfully and thoughtfully on posts that I read.  The suggested, “Comment on 3 other blogs,” became a starting point. Could I do more?  I’m busy, too.  What I found, as I’m sure many of you have, is that the more I commented, the more enjoyable the month became.  Ideas seemed to flow more easily off my fingers. I experimented with different forms of writing, some weren’t perfect, but I had fun trying them out.  I took those risks. I accepted that everything wasn’t going to be perfect or even the best. I just keep on keeping on.

 

Then, other blogs gave me inspiration. Ideas were inspiration.  Forms were inspiration. Reading really great slices was inspiration.  Suggested “read this blog to for ideas” by the Two Writing Teachers was inspiration.  By reading slices, I realized that everyone has challenges, everyone has a day or days when the ideas dry up.  What do we do then? Keep writing. My writing still needs to grow and be refined; I’m not there, yet, but I’m working on it.  I just keep on keeping on.

 

Most importantly, as I kept writing, writing, writing, some fellow slicers did stop by.  They did comment. They did encourage. I was happy, but now, not dependent. I thank them all, all the wonderful people whose lives are busy and stressed and full of life’s activities, for stopping by. I thank them for taking time to read and offer those heartwarming comments.  I thank them for reading my slices that were full of risks, and, probably in all honesty, not all that great. For the kindness and the caring, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

Finally, I want to give a huge shout-out to all the Two Writing Teachers staff who planned and organized and emailed and commented.  No one can know, unless they have done it, how hard it must be. It seems easy on my end. Not seeing the countless behind-the-scenes workings, I can only imagine, and, I thank you.