On Writing Dreams, Reality & Life

I ran into a metaphor for life while cleaning out my closet yesterday. While sorting out an old jewelry box,  I came across a clump of tangled necklaces that I attempted to unravel. One necklace came out nicely, the other two were twisted together and knotted so much I had to leave it. Part of the reason I left it, was because of what the necklace reminded me of. Take a look for yourself –

That word  – dream – that dangles from the end of a dainty little necklace is now twisted and tied up with a beady, chunky, necklace thanks to my neglect. Isn’t that life though? I find as time goes by that unless you pay attention to and take care of a dream, especially one you’ve held onto for years, that it can end up looking messy and unsalvageable, a bit like this necklace.

In the midst of a stressful time period, I’ve managed to keep writing. What is the “dream” now though? Is it the same as when I was a kid? Of course not. The dream has always been to write and get published, but seeing that dream at 31 is far different from how I saw that dream at 10. Working with authors with WOW to promote their book as well as reading and reviewing books for authors through this blog have both taught me that publishing a book is only step one. It takes more than a good story to get readers. I’ve read and reviewed many books that didn’t get on the bestsellers list and also deserved far more attention than they got.

So, my dream has gotten a bit tangled due to reality as well as the messy qualities of life. It’s hard not to let that happen. To untangle the dream from reality and life is work, much like it will take work to untangle that necklace. With patience and determination and an unfailing ability to never quit, I can untangle the dream.

That necklace now sits in a prominent place in my room. Not because it’s such a beautiful clump of cheap jewelry, but because it represents something that needed reminding. Don’t let go of the dream, but don’t neglect it either.

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One thought on “On Writing Dreams, Reality & Life

  1. As the saying goes, life is what happens when you're making other plans. And stress is a factor in that.

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