Down this Road Together…
We have a framed jigsaw puzzle in our foyer. It’s at least 1,000 pieces, maybe more. I put it together years ago now, but I’m still proud of it… When I put it together, I wouldn’t let anyone in the house touch it… I wouldn’t let anyone else put a single piece with the rest — I wanted to do it on my own.
The scene is of a dusty road, lined with leaves and the trees they’ve fallen from… Leaves of gold, and red, and green, and brown litter the path and fill the sky. The trunks, deep browns and chalky white, line the picture from top to bottom, clustered and scattered haphazardly.
When the going “gets rough,” I sometimes look to the puzzle for inspiration, and as a reminder that as hard as things might seem, and even if the pieces don’t seem to fit, I’ll figure it out. But one can only get so inspired by inanimate objects, no matter how meaningful or lovely.
Earlier today, I called Scott at work, doubting if I’m doing the right thing… wondering if anyone will even care about this musical, wondering if I’m not just wasting my time and energy.
He was actually surprised, knowing how proud I was earlier in the week… and with a little bit of effort and insight, managed to bolster my fragile confidence…
And that’s the hardest part of all… It’s not the dialogue, or the lyrics… it’s not character development, or anything else… The hardest part is the DOUBT.
It’s inevitable… Go read any writer’s memoirs and doubt will be scribbled along most of the pages.
Thankfully, I’m blessed with a man in my life who challenges me to rise above it, and even managed to inspire a character’s monologue in the process.
They say writing is an exercise in solitude, and sometimes it does feel that way, but I prefer to know that no-one can go down this road alone, and I’m lucky Scott is willing to travel down this road with me…
–Sue
Add comment August 8th, 2008
