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K R McKeeney's avatar

I feel like I often resonate with your posts! I have recently had to really deprioritize writing on my novel. But like you said, the stories and creativity never actually stops in our minds. Even if we aren't physically writing, we are doing the work. Thanks default mode network. I'm so glad you got the time to really focus on your son. That's a big part of the reason I've taken a step back. They are only little so long and being present is so important. Because I've taken a step back, I make it a priority to go and have lunch with my son at school each week and it's beautiful. Congrats on making progress on your book!

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Kaia Preus's avatar

I love that you have lunch with the your son at school each week! That’s wonderful. We will never regret the focus we train on our sons while we can!!

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K R McKeeney's avatar

We are in a tiny school district and I'm thinking that's why they do it. One week when I was overwhelmed with "not getting much done" on my admin day I was frustrated by the lunch. But then I remembered I specifically picked my career path so I could go to things like that with my son. They have felt sacred and special ever since. I hope you get to keep getting that time with your son!

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Craig Pleasants's avatar

Yes, your art will wait for you, and yes, life is for living. Also it is both possible and permissible to live your life as if it were a work of art.

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Lorna Dielentheis's avatar

Loved reading this Kaia, and although I am not a mother, I related deeply to a lot of what you shared. Putting my visual art on pause when I started dealing with chronic pain issues brought up many similar feelings, and it wasn’t until after I picked up a pencil again that I realized how much I had needed the break mentally in addition to physically. I’m excited for you to work on your novel and I can’t wait to read it someday!

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Sarah Davis's avatar

I love the question what do you gain instead?

Letting go, picking up, and putting down and coming back and loving what we love - and your novel is calling so you're listening and that is the real work....the listening.

I appreciated this post so much. I'm sitting with starts and fits of writing time this week, sleep deprivation, poems lost on drives to pick up children when I didn't write them down soon enough, lunch, and dishes piling high, the animals staring at me in every room hahaha, and a fantasy in my head of a silent hotel room with blackout curtains ala Nightbitch - I'm going to think about what I'm gaining when I switch focus - every time...it's something.

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Mary Jacobson's avatar

So beautiful, Kaia. The photos are so sweet and little man of your eyes a little boy now a sweet little boy.

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E.A. Midnight's avatar

Really needed to read/hear/feel enveloped in this warm message today. <3 Thank you.

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Simi Sidhu Writes's avatar

I so resonate with the concept of writing away from the laptop - all my best writing happens when I’m don’t think I’m writing, I’m doing something else, I’m living.

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