Ah, Spring

Spring, and spring break. I just submitted my grades for winter quarter and in a few minutes I will stand up from my desk and walk out of this office. I have to come back tomorrow and Wednesday to get my spring quarter classes ready (why did I choose new books — again?), but tonight my husband is taking me out to dinner. And I’m in a mood to celebrate. After a conversation at my fabulous book party on Saturday (thank you, Carolynne) I’ve been thinking about how being a writer is not unlike being married. You can’t say “Oh, I want to be a writer,” and get there by not writing, any more than you can say, “I’d love to have a good marriage,” but then never invest any time or energy into the project. Do I always feel like writing — I mean my “real,” important, goal-oriented writing? No. (Scribbling, always. It’s strange.) Do I always feel like being married? No. But I would in fact like to have a good marriage. Don’t imagine that I’m advocating sticking around for abuse. Okay, I’m not going any deeper into this well. Dinner calls.

One of my creative writing students used this quote from Bob Marley in his Big, True Story: “If she’s amazing, she won’t be easy. If she’s easy, she won’t be amazing. If she’s worth it, you won’t give up. If you give up, you’re not worthy…Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.”

This strikes me as both woefully cynical, and weirdly true. So, happy spring. Even if it looks a little weedy right now, what you nurture will grow.

 I hope you got the grade you worked for. Imagine a winky face here.