Aspiring to be a (fill in the blank here)…

~ Live & Learn

struggle-artist-sketch

You aspire to be a writer, a photographer, a painter, an actor, a journalist – an anything.  You need to take a few moments to read this excerpt and then continue on to the full post.

“I read those words, and had a sticky, squirmy reaction; I felt the way I do when I stand back and witness the horror of someone else’s undoing. It’s a tight kink in the stomach; a hard walnut in the throat. We’ve all been there, haven’t we: we’ve seen the speaker who loses the words. The young actor who blanks out on stage. The musician who forgets the chords. The writer — the food writer; science writer; academic; novelist; it doesn’t matter — blocked by fear. We wince. Who are they to even try, some whisper as we watch them tumble from their place. When it comes our time, we become that person, naked on the stage: doubtful, panicky, assured by the nagging, the poison, the gossipy gremlin chatter over our shoulders, promising that we too, will most certainly, most definitely, fail…”

Read entire post here: Elissa Altman @ Poor Man’s Feast.

Notes:

 

22 thoughts on “Aspiring to be a (fill in the blank here)…”

  1. “Who are they to even try?” Well, braver than I am in most cases. Publishing my writing has certainly given me that feeling more than once! You really set yourself up for criticism when you “try,” but you swallow that walnut in your throat and go for it anyway.

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      1. Raye April 2, 2016 at 11:59 am

        David Kanigan sent a flock (I’m sure) of us over to view your expansive territory of thought. I continue to be deeply in love with his ability to transport. It is always for The Good. Thank you, Darling David.

        Tomorrow. Those are your words. The Tomorrows. Thank you, as well, for the reminder to use Tomorrow wisely and with much gusto. There’s also that “get over yourself” thought just for good measure…

        28 Elissa April 2, 2016 at 12:47 pm

        Thank you David. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

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  7. I often ‘aspired’ to becoming a ‘real’ artist. In later life I finally did do 4 years of art education and was disappointed with it. It made me realize that my own work, created in my own way over the years, was far more important to me… and also that I didn’t have to ‘aspire’ to become a ‘real’ artist… I had already been an artist.

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