I’m writing this in Rancho Mirage, California. It gets five inches of rain a year, and I think they all fell today…along with a violent windstorm that took down a tree outside my hotel room.
I watched as the maintenance crew arrived, piled out of their truck, then paused to assess the damage.
There was some milling around, some chatting, but at a certain point someone picked up a chainsaw.
Someone called for the wood-chipper.
The pause was over.
Everything was noise and motion and determined action.
If you’re finding it hard to write, perhaps you’re in the pause.
Perhaps the pause is necessary.
The last few years have been… a lot.
Most people are standing around looking at the damage, not yet capable of formulating a plan for what happens next.
Imagine what might happen if people like us helped lead the recovery.
Imagine what might happen if, while everyone else is trying to put back what’s been broken, storytellers stepped in to clear away the dead wood and shape the landscape of the future.
We need new stories.
Stories that allow people to imagine better futures.
We need stories written by the quiet kids, the overly-sensitive kids, the ones who pause and notice everything.
If you’re not feeling the pull to create right now, get ready.
It’s coming.
And we need you.
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What kind of stories do YOU think the world needs right now? Leave a comment
Realistic, but hopeful.
I’ve always eschewed Vidia Naipaul’s negativity and embraced Wilson Harris’ solution-oriented view of the world, because we need visionaries to show us the way or the possibilities.
Stories that remind me of how life is magic, dynamic, and valuable. Thank you.
We need more magic and dynamism! Let’s go!
Thanks for this post, Julie! Story is so important! It is greatly needed for people to express themselves, but also for those who are reading and listening to their messages so they too can remember their own stories, for story ignites them their own importance of what it is that lights them up. So yes, to the sensitive soul – the ones who see and witness everything around them. They need to be heard and known for they tap into the tiniest and also the boldest aspects of life’s offerings.
Amen!
Hi Julie,
I know I’m rather quiet here these days, but I’m still writing away in good old England and I follow all your emails.
A wonderful story about your experience in California. Formulating a plan for the future is certainly difficult, it seems like so many things are still up in the air.
I agree we need more stories showing us the possibilities of what might be. In my mind that requires more heart warming stories showing characters struggling through difficult times and coming out the other side with a smile on their faces. Easier said than done!
Happy writing!
Keeping that sense of possibility alive for ourselves and others is a gift!
Great to hear from you, as always Malcolm!
Dear Julie, your wise words really spoke to me. After continually striving to push through for so long, I am finally embracing the pause, trying to quiet my mind and spirit to discern what comes next. I love the idea of storytellers leading the way. The world needs our stories. Thank you for all you do.
Thanks, Patty.
You have definitely earned your pause. I know whatever comes next will be worth waiting for.
<3