This post is going to be a little different: I recently spent a little over two weeks in Scotland with my BFF celebrating a big birthday for her! We had an amazing time from Edinburgh up to Skye and the Outer Hebrides, and I would repeat every second, even the time we hauled two heavy suitcases, backpacks, a bag of food and a duffel stuffed with Harris tweed across most of Edinburgh New Town, and then I couldn’t figure out which flat was our Airbnb. (Oops! Sorry bestie!!)
And I am so grateful that we both had the time, energy, resources, good health, flexibility and opportunity to go. Plus, everything went so smoothly overall—not to mention we started planning the next trip back the moment the airplane left the ground!
I had great plans to turn out a painting/drawing every day, to weave a little on my Hello Loom, and I even tucked in an entire notebook in the hopes that inspiration would strike and I’d write half a novel (presumably in my sleep, because we had planned a lot of things to do!).
And maybe if it had rained all the time (as well it could have), we would have had time to linger indoors and create all the things. In reality, of course, I did three paintings, two little weavings, and never cracked open that notebook once!
Not to mention, I thought I’d update this Substack while I was gone…. Sorry, folks! I see many writers keep their blogs/newsletters up to date in all circumstances, no matter what, but I am just not that person.
This always happens when I travel—I always find myself simply living the adventure. I don’t always journal every day, never mind create art.
And I think that’s just right, at least for me. Oftentimes the art is created in response to what you’ve experienced. Oftentimes you have to live in the present before you can root into your response to what has come your way. You have to allow the adventure to unfold, to pull you where it will, and to let the words, the art, the creative response, come later. And too, not everything has to be mulch for the creative garden. Some things happen just so they can be lived.
Even at home, I don’t create every day. I don’t like putting that pressure on myself. Creativity is not about production—it’s not about how much you can do, it’s not about checking it off on a schedule. Our production-obsessed culture can make it seem that way, and I have certainly bought into the idea at times myself. But really creativity, at least for me, is about letting an idea move through you.
Some ideas come with the speed of the Harry Potter steam train over the Glenfinnan Viaduct (yes, we saw this several times!). And some evolve so slowly you feel that you need the patience of the ancient stones at Calanais. For me, all ideas and projects have their own rhythm. My job is simply to show up and invite them to tango with me—or to let my feet cary me off on an adventure that, holy moly, fills the well so deeply that it’s hard to find my footing back in “real life”!
Plus, in these pandemic times, I think all of our creative wells are probably still a little depleted. I hope that you can let your adventure live through you, too, in whatever way you’re being called to right now.
I’ll leave you with a picture of one of my favorite spots — one of the stone circles near Calanais. (Calanais proper was extraordinary, but busy with a tour bus and some dude with a drone. This spot was pure magic.)
(Next time, I’ll share a little bit about my take on the eclipse passageway we find ourselves in right now. In fact, we flew home on the new moon solar eclipse, so I have feelings!)
I’m teaching a class! Come have fun with craft and write some fiction with me. Starts November 15 on Zoom, four weekly sessions, with very reasonable tuition.
Embracing the Adventure
Thanks Callie! My wife Joan and I were in that beautiful area of the world 3 years ago. It is one of our favorite places! I agree with your comment about “pressure to produce everyday”. With my poetry my work has to age like “Scotch in a Barrel” and I can only have a few poems going at once. That’s just me. Thank you for sharing! I look forward to your substack writings. All the best, Dave