Me in the margins

This was the original idea for this blog. The thought that me (my writing desires) fought for the margins of my life (between motherhood, home stewardship, and my corporate job). A few things changed that core direction, namely the efficiency of having an author website.

But as I’ve thought through it, a bigger objection came up. I don’t think this is a correct or helpful way to think about writing or about my life in general.

First of all, I’m still “me” when I’m not writing. My identity isn’t just one thing, as great as those things are. It’s all of them, jumbled together in ways that work for the season I’m in. I’m a mom who works. I’m a manager who moms. I’m a writer who has a different day job. I’m a home-maker who works outside the home. I’m a world-builder who’s also building my precious, real-life world one crazy day at a time.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I would want to be just one of these things to the exclusion of all others.

My parenting makes me a better leader. My writing helps me be more creative and imaginative as I love my little one. Keeping a lovely home provides an environment of peace and creativity (not to mention that story planning while doing dishes is strangely helpful).

Yes, the physical time of writing needs to happen in the margins, in the stolen moments, because it requires focus that a toddler, that a day job, simply doesn’t allow. But I’m still me. All the time.

And I’m very grateful to be “me”.

Here’s the direction I think I want to go with this: I want to get really practical on how to get books written in the margins. When the standard writing advice geared toward those who can make writing their full-time pursuit just won’t work. There’s not a lot of help like that out there, that I’ve found. So I’ll make it up as I go along. Maybe it’s just for me. But maybe it can help someone else someday.

Note to future self: Remember that this is (was) just a season. The margins change. The day-to-day changes. The projects change. But you - creative, nurturing, courageous, you - are still there, still purposed, still called. Whatever season you’re in, make it wonderful.