I've had a partly-finished work laying around for some time now, and, frankly, I've been too shy to share it with you because it's kind of... spiritual.
And spiritual stuff always feels very private to me. (Really private. Like, I'd rather tell you about my sex life than talk to you about my prayer life.)
But since I spend all my time haranguing you about getting your work out into the world whether you think it's ready or not, I figured I'd better take this opportunity to walk my talk.
I think it's going to be a little book called, "Unreasonable Gratitude: An Artist Talks To God."
And it's sort-of poems and sort-of not-poems, and they are all written as letters to God from a creative person. Some reflect my own direct experience, some don't.
Here are the first two:
Daily Grind
Dear God,
The daily grind has got My Spirit by the neck.
There are too many things to do and too many hands pulling on me.
Even the things I like to do feel like a chore, and in all this quotidian chaos,
there is no room for me to Make Art.
But I hear you whisper that I was not created in Your Image
to run errands.
And that a year from now, no one will remember the imperfect nutritional value of tonight's dinner, but everyone will remember the piece I create.
So, just for today, I will claim some time -- iron-clad, non-negotiable, uncompromising, turn-off-the-phone time -- to do The Work that you designed me to do.
That is my promise to you, so that I might fulfill Your promise of me.
Love,
Me.
*******************************************
The Only Way Out Is Up
Dear God,
Am I crazy? I am broke.
And everyone says
Get A Job.
But that feels tragic.
The moment I think about going to an office every day, I shut down.
Fluorescent lights are soul-sucking.
Routine is death.
But what makes me think I am So Special that I think I don't have to work like everyone else?
And what makes me think that my work is so worthless that I can't get paid for doing what I love most?
I feel trapped.
Clearly, the only way out is up.
Please, God, give me some of
Your Perspective
on this.
Help me see the brilliant, blessed Solution that's exactly perfect right now and
Grant me the courage to take
Divinely-inspired action
right now.
Get me past my own ego and past my fear of other people's judgment so that I might see my own shining path.
Let's bring a little Creative Genius to this situation and help me get on with the
Real Work of making the dream of my life
(your dream for my life)
come true.
Love,
Me