I was sitting in traffic, at the last light I turn with on my way to work, and I was doing my usual routine at 7:54 am. Then the news comes on and makes an announcement about a new baby elephant born at St. Louis zoo, and weighing in at 236 pounds.
I then realized after all those years of saying the toss-away exaggerated statement of "I'm as big as an elephant", that I was indeed as big as an elephant. A pre-maturely born baby elephant. Quite humbling.
But then I got to thinking about Dumbo, a very cute baby elephant—and his big ears. (I did get to thinking about my ears as well. They are awful pointy. Everyone tells me this; Dumbo and I have so much in common, weight and ears.) But he can fly.
So I thought some more. And then I thought, well, his ears, that he was born with obviously, are his talent and/or ability. Writing is my talent—my elephant ears. And like Dumbo, I didn't think I could fly and was scared too. Now, I didn't have this really cool mouse mentor who handed me a feather and said, "Now you can fly" but I do realize I have used many types of feather talismans over the years to get liftoff. In fact, I use my English Major label as a sort of feather. It's why I went to college, to polish up my writing, to better refine my writing techniques.
But did I really need to go to college to learn to write? No. There are plenty of great and well-published writers who never got college degrees. In fact, there are also plenty of well-decorated, many-degree-carrying people who still can't write, though they may indeed be published.
Another famous feather many writers clutch is "The Muse". "Well, I can't write anything until I'm inspired, until the Muse tells me. I don't want to just write trite fiction; I want to create something brilliant." But any trite fiction writer will tell you it's impossible to fix a blank page. Edits are what makes trite writing something worth reading.
Writing books and writing classes are easy to come by if you have the money; and you always feel safer at your desk while writing if you have the latest book to help you plot or get past writer's block—but they aren't actually what makes you write. In fact, 90% of the time, I get a book, read it, get bored or frustrated, and say "Screw it, I'm writing it however I want" and then start writing. That, in and of itself, was worth the $13.95 to me, and it will come in handy another dozen times when I consult the book, but really, it didn't exactly tell me anything I haven't already heard a dozen times before. For free.
So should I ever lose all my feathers—my books, my degree ("What? What do you mean I needed one more hour of PE?"), my Muse—I should take a page from Dumbo and remember I don't need a feather to fly with to really fly.
How about you? What abilities/talents do you have and what feathers do you clutch?
14 comments:
Wowza woman, this blog was super insightful.
Not that every blog isn't super insightful, but this was beautiful. Brilliant. Amazing. Awe-Inspiring.
I write. Albeit, sometimes not very well, but I still write. I don't possess many books about writing (other than the ones you give me) and I don't do much self-help writer's groups (much to the dismay of other writers), but I sit down and I do what comes nature. I let my fingers do the talking like they should. I've gone months where the muse wasn't biting (she was off doing her thing in Tahiti, to be assured) and still wrote. I just switch it up. Right now, I have three major writing projects going on. Two are my original. One we don't even speak of, it shall remain unfinished until I write the other two. But I've always got the laptop up and running. During the day, I sit at my desk with Word pulled up for just in case. If I'm driving, I start talking out loud to myself if a little bit of conversation comes into my mind (this helps me remember it for later) and in the middle of the night, I wake up and scribble on a notebook (however it's not very legiable(?)). I'm always thinking about writing. There's normally not a part of my day that's not filled with something regarding writing. I'm always watching, memorizing, waiting for a moment that I might need, reactions, movements.
I'm a tad bit obsessed. LOL
My youngest daughter watched the Dumbo video every single day when she was a preschooler so I could take a bath. I am wondering now if she internalized the message you so eloquently expressed...as she's taken the most risks and garnered more academic success than her siblings (whom I love to distraction equally, of course).
I have no writing books, no classes, no particular feathers. Some days I fly. Some days I fall to earth with a thud. There are days when I wonder why the hell I ever started to write. I'll let you know when I stop. If I can stop, that is!
After reading your blog Hellion I made a discovery. My physics degree is my feather. I would like to be a costume designer, but I hold onto my physics degree instead. I really do like physics, and I'd love to teach it, but I'd love to see where costume design takes me. But I continue holding onto my physics degree because I'm scared of not making it as a costume designer.
Di
This blog may be too deep for me on a Monday morning. I'm afraid I don't know what my feather is. Great, now I'm depressed.
I guess the thing I enjoy most in life is being a mom. I was very surprised eight years ago when I realized I was good at it. And the thought that someday she will be grown and not need me quite so much makes me sad.
So I cling to the belief she'll always need me and someday I might even have another one to raise.
*LOL* I didn't mean to be that deep...I thought for sure everyone would be far more fascinated by the thought I actually weigh nearly the same amount as a baby elephant. I mean, it burst my little bubble flat quick...
Sin: Yes, we will not discuss the 3rd WIP that shall not be named. I can't wait until you finish the other two books!!!!
Maggie: *LOL* Maybe! :) Actually I think what I took from the movie was the part where Dumbo's mom rocks him even though she's caged up. Easily my favorite part--moms love you forever and will do anything to hold and comfort you, if it's at all possible, no matter where they are.
Di: I think you would be fantastic as a costume designer. *hands her a feather* Look into it. Baby steps. Looking and figuring out the small steps to make it reality are very important before liftoff. Sorta like making sure there is gas in the plane.
Terri: You're an awesome mom...but I think you're an awesome writer too. I think your feather is your "mommy" feather, yes...I think you use it as a "well, if the book doesn't work out, I'm still a great mommy"--but I think your writing career will fly anyway. *winks*
Don't be making me cry!
Di - I'm with Hellion. *hands her another feather* The skies the limit. Just remember to thank us in that Tony/Emmy/Oscar speech.
*g*
*looks forlornly at the feathers*
That's easy to say, isn't it. It's still scary. And I really do like physics, but how can I be sure. Why do I need to decide now that I want to dedicate the next forty years of my life to one profession? Physics? Theater? I want to do theater, but it's scary. And Terri, I have to hear it twice a week from my parents about my degree choices. Even now with physics they're still harassing me to be a business major.
*looks forlornly at feathers*
*sighs*
Well, why not double major as business major and fashion/theater? You need both, don't you?
It helps to have business knowledge in anything you do but I can't believe your parents can't just leave you alone. You have plenty of time to figure this out. Hell, look at me - 35 and a Junior in college. Not that I recommend this but you get my point.
Just tell them (as lovingly as possible) that it is your life and you are going to live it the way you choose. If that means majoring in theater/costume design and minoring in physics, so be it.
*hands Di an entire feather duster*
At the very least, Di, you can wave the feather duster under their noses--make them sneeze--and in the midst of the distraction, you can sneak off and plot out how you're going to rock New York with your fashion sense...or Hollywood.
I love making costumes...so I think it would be very interesting to learn the inside bit of doing the costume design for movies. I don't think this is a crazy dream, Di...I think it's very possible and you should give it a whirl. What's the worst that could happen? You have to go back and do something in physics instead? Still better to have tried it on for size and to see if it looks good on you than to leave it on the hanger and miss out...
*ding ding ding*
Hellion wins the prize for the best mataphor of the day. Maybe even the week!
But she's right you know. Nothing's guaranteed. That's why it's so much fun!
*tears*
Awwww....y'all are so amazing. I've been sitting in my house debating my future. Part of the problem is that I want to graduate in two years, and I can't if I want to double major. *still clings to a physics major*
I was thinking of doing a full year of interning in a theater after I graduate.
Oh and another thing is that I was debating whether or not I stay another year at Mt. Holyoke in order to do a thesis. But if I do that, then I double my loan amount. Once again.....
*grasps feathers in disbelief*
Darlin', if you're still in college, you should do it now. Seriously. It will be harder to go back and do the "second career" option when you've already done the whole thing and then lived out in the "real world" for a while. You won't do it. Then you spend all your time wondering, "Would theater/costume stuff have been more fun?"
Adding one more year to your program is NOTHING compared to having to come back some years down the road and doing it again...and usually they'll charge you grad credit to come back for a second bachelor's. I know. I'm in the field where all these students come back to their "real passion" of teaching and spend an ungodly amount of money to go to school for three years (paying graduate fees) to get the degree they should have pursued the first time. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard: "I always wanted to teach but my parents (my [insert reason here]) wanted me to do this other thing instead."
Do it now. Go talk to your advisor, figure out what it would be to double major with Physics...or the business--and get the other emphasis you want. It doesn't hurt to figure out the options if you're still in school.
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