The Sign

When in a state of confusion do you ever ask for signs or omens? Well I certainly do ever since I read The Alchemist! In the past I’ve read a few books on writing. Every author advised that to be a writer you must write. I however was under the impression that if you have an iota of talent for the craft you’d sail smoothly anyway. And that you write only when inspiration strikes. But I gradually realized how false that notion was. It isn’t like someone would come to you and say “Your face looks like that of a talented writer, I’d be happy to sign a contract with you”. And the next thing you notice, you put your hands on the keyboard and words begin to flow like a beautiful symphony! Talent and tenacity go hand in hand.

Yesterday night I tossed and twirled in the bed feeling irritated and confused. I had just written a 500 word article and felt thoroughly unsatisfied with it. No words or ideas came to mind. Resolved to reach my target (500 words) I produced a stilted piece! As I lay in bed my mind began to wonder. “Could it be that I’m aspiring for the wrong profession?”, “I don’t always enjoy writing unlike other writers”,” Maybe I’m wrong in attempting to write daily?” “You’re just tired”, said my sister. “Perhaps you need a break from writing” Wearied of the pointless analysis I asked God to give me a sign and went off to sleep.

I signed in today. There were several mails to check. I instinctively clicked the one that read “WritingKid”. It's an e-zine I've subscribed to. The title of the article in this edition made me gasp. “To write or not to write”. Needless to say it voiced out my dilemma. Upon reading it, I realized a few things:
*All writer’s go through a “No idea” phase
* I was thinking heart of the hearts that “It’s too hard”. Wrong approach!
* I was right in thinking that it calls for perseverance and discipline. You can’t let your feelings decide whether or not to write. It is on the hard days that your dedication is actually put to test! I was grateful for the validation.

I felt like God was speaking to me through these words:
"You can't say, I won't write today because that excuse
will extend into several days, then several months,
then... you are not a writer anymore, just someone who dreams
about being a writer." ~Dorothy C. Fontana
The answer-My sign- was given to me. To listen or not to listen … was up to me. I chose to listen!

If like me you ever find yourself doubting your potential or feel low about something in general try asking for a sign. It's advisable to not set a time limit. The answer may or may not come immediately. Just ask and let go. Be patient and anticipate your sign with eagerness. It shall be provided to you. That’s the way it has been with me! It could be a song, movie, conversation, billboard sign etc. God/Universe is more creative than we can imagine! After all , aren’t we God’s creations too?;) As is true for life so is true for writing – ultimately we must have ‘faith in the process’.