Old Books and Big Magic
Have you ever been to the Cosmos Mystery Area in South Dakota? Place is trippy! I remember learning about it when I was really young, on that old 80s show That’s Incredible. If you ever get a chance, go! It’s fun, and a fairly inexpensive, family friendly way to spend an afternoon!
#3PiecesOfWisdom 05 October 2020:
If you’re looking for your purpose, you’ll find it in the decisions you make and the experiences you pursue.
Good days come from good decisions.
You can decide by default or decide on purpose.
Old Books and Big Magic
Yesterday I revisited a stand-alone book I wrote years ago, doing a bit of editing that’s been needed since the book was published. I’m considering expanding it into a series, so this was the first step toward that.
It’s kind of amazing to look back at early work.
This particular book was experimental and a little difficult to place into a genre. Its origins are kind of incredible, though, and I’m proud of it. It also happens to be one of the books that got the most buzz, when I first released it.
Still, I haven’t looked at it in years.
But looking at it now, with so many more books under my belt, it’s been kind of amazing. I’m seeing a lot of early stylistic choices that I’ve outgrown. I’m seeing mistakes I no longer make (and some I still make).
I think going back to this book is going to be good for me.
That’s sort of the same reason you might consider writing a daily journal. It’s a way to record a slice of who you were, on a given day, so you can compare with who you are in this moment. It’s a way to mark growth, like those little lines your mom drew on your bedroom door.
Being able to see who we were helps us see who we are.
The trick is, don’t linger in the past. Don’t long for it, until you feel as if you’ve lost something.
The past moved on for a reason. Clinging to it will only mar it. You’ll get it dirty, and lose the beauty of it.
What was is golden, but what is will always be the biggest magic.
Even if you aren’t fond of now, this is the only moment you have to do real good in the world, to find real joy. This moment is the only one you’re empowered to work in.
Now is your moment.
Sometimes now stinks. But that’s just a sign. Find the threads of joy, of productivity, of empowerment, and now becomes a launch pad for the good in the next moment.
It’s how reality works. We think it’s immutable, but the truth is we change it with every single moment.