I've gone missing a few days, between dental surgery, family gatherings (my aunt's wake and my husband's birthday) and taking down the tree (yes, we keep it up this long because we don't mark the end of our holiday celebrations until the birthday). I'm back again, trying to recharge my dormant creativity. Yesterday I wandered from room to room, teacup in hand, not quite able to summon the words and the discipline that sustain me. I decided to allow myself a few hours--my mouth hurt from the stitches, my brain was rebelling. I even took a nap, curled up with a comforter on our down-filled blue velvet (don't ask!) couch in front of the wood stove.
When I woke up, it was to music. My husband was listening to Bono on YouTube, singing "MLK." In the way that often happens, we found ourselves moving from Bono's version to the Heartland Men's Chorus rendition, which then led us to several other songs by the HMC. I shook off my fatigue and mental paralysis, touched by both their music and their history.
I did two things last night to get back to where I wanted to be: I made a list and I played the piano. The list set out what I wanted to accomplish in the next week, with very specific next steps for each item--even if it was something as simple as printing out an email from my editor. The piano playing was practice in the Zen sense of the word. I empty myself of everything except the notes when I play.
Tonight, as I write, I'm on my way again.
How do you recharge when you falter?
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