Showing Up

I’m not writing a blog tonight.  It’s late and I’m tired and I’ve worked a full day.   I’ve had some good things happen, in fact, mostly good things.  But it’s been a busy day and all I want to do is have a bowl of popcorn and read some comic books before I go to bed.  So I’m not doing one more thing.  I’m not writing a blog.

Okay, maybe I’ll write a quick one, if only to show my Muse that I’m serious about writing, and if only to show her that I love her and will spend time with her every chance I get, even if it’s only for a little while.  I rarely feel that I get enough time with my Muse.  My optimal life is one in which I spend three to four hours alone with her every morning.  Then maybe more time at night. 

In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield says the professional shows up every day, if for no other reason, to not disappoint, annoy, or inconvenience coworkers.  This work, as much as it blesses me, and as much as I need to do it, isn’t only for me.  It’s meant to bless other people.  That’s one of the reasons I do this.  It’s meant to bless others.  So here I sit, hoping I will be a blessing and an example. 

My oldest daughter had a softball coach who, when not happy with the results of the game would tell the girls they needed to show up.  I thought it was a curious expression, because they had showed up.  They were there and they were playing.  But the coach wanted more.  He wanted their full attention and commitment, which, in his mind, was demonstrated only by a victory.  To me, however, if the girls were physically there, and they played their best, they showed up.  So I show up because I don’t want to disappoint anyone by not showing up.   I don’t want to disappoint any potential readers.

At the same time, it’s possible that no one will read this.  I’ll do it anyway, not because I’m being paid (yet), but because I need to do this.  I’m not even sure why.  I’ve known that I’ve needed to write since I was 14.  In fact, that’s how old I was when I first started writing for school newspapers.  I wasn’t very good, but it’s okay.  I still needed to do it.  And I got better.

I’ll admit, however, I’m not always a professional about this.  I don’t show up as often as I should.  I also get easily distracted.  This applies not only to my writing, but to other areas of my life.  Still, the past is gone, and I’m writing now.  I showed up.  That’s all I needed to do.  I’m a little closer to my goal of 1,000.  That’s all I have to do.  Just get a little closer…every day.  Soon I will reach my goal. 

So even though I didn’t want to write a blog, I wanted to get closer to my goal.  Now I am.  And that’s all it takes.  I show up every day, even when I’m tired or when I don’t feel like it.  Tomorrow I may write more than I’m writing tonight.  The important thing about tonight is I motivated myself to Get Started and to Keep Going…. and I showed up.