It's All Perspective

            This photo was taken on St. Simon's Island in Georgia.  Matt thought it would be funny if I climbed the tree in my cowboy boots- that it would look "authentically Tennessee" as he put it.  I'm sitting in a tree that is really low to the ground actually, but with a little camera magic and a nifty angle it looks like I climbed a massive tree. Knowing that I'm sitting in a tree that is low to the ground probably changes your perspective a little bit.

           I had a huge change in perspective today.  I was whining and complaining about how I've been wanting to make money from home.  I recently took a job as a nanny for fewer than 15 hours a week.  I realize that my health is fragile, though, and that I may be faced with having to resign if it becomes too much on my body.  I've been looking into several options on how to make money from home, but a lot of them (such as Pampered Chef and Mary Kay) require a lot of running around making home visits, doing shows, and spending money out of pocket.  I suppose I've felt really helpless in the situation- sitting at home and not bringing in an income.  I don't have any obligations or anyone else to care for during the day so being in a continuous state of "blah" gets really old really fast.

           I've always looked up to my mom because she has been able to run her small business from home. She makes crafts from old antique quilts and she does well.  I've never been into crafting believe it or not.  I guess God just didn't wire me like that. I'm wired to be a writer, but we all know that becoming a famous writer is a shot in the dark.  Actually making money as a writer is as likely as moving to Hollywood and signing a contract with an agent the day your plane lands.  It's all perspective,  though, right?  Sure, it seems unlikely, but how did now- famous actors get where they are today?  A lot of hard work!  So, as I was wondering what I should do and what the point of it all is anyway, I had a change of heart.  My perspective changed quickly.

          I asked myself how badly I want to be a writer.  If it came down to working hard through rejections, aggravation, and sacrifice to be a writer would I do it?  Would I work harder to achieve this than I have worked on anything else before?  Would I work through my sickness, insecurities, and failures to make this happen?  Would I leave to chance everything and admit that I can only do what I'm willing to work hard at?  A passion arose in me-  one that had been gone for some time.  I want to write.  Regardless of failure, ridicule, and hardship I want to write.  And I'm not just going to write pieces for them to sit on my laptop unseen, I'm going to write to be heard!  I'm going after this with audacity because that's what it's going to take.

         I realize that money-making writing isn't something that happens over night.  It takes a long time just to hear back from magazines and publications.  It takes longer than that for them to actually cut you a check.  So, I thought of something that I'm going to take a try at.  I'm going to see how good I am at making jewelry!  Now, by your perspective this whole blog just isn't adding up. To me, though, it's all part of a plan.  If by chance I can make jewelry and sell it, I'm going to use the profit to put toward my writing.  Whether it's buying ink cartridges for the printer, investing in creative writing courses, or eventually self-publishing- it's all going to be worth while! There isn't anything that's going to stop me now. I've decided that this is it.  So, with a new perspective I'm going for it!

       If it turns out that I can't make jewelry and there's not a crafty bone in my body, then I'll just write about how I can't make jewelry. : )