Is Time Moving You Away from Your Creative Dreams?

Time was a river, not a log to be sawed into lengths. ~ Margaret A. Robinson, author

In the past five weeks, Bob and I marked our 39th wedding anniversary, and I marked my 60th birthday.

Milestones to be sure. So, obviously, the passage of time has been a dominant theme on my mind lately.

Time flows out before us like a wide, meandering river, when we are in our 20s, with seemingly unlimited opportunities for discovery and adventures along the way.

And we confidently believe at this stage of our lives, that there is always, as Scarlett would say, tomorrow.

The older we get, however, the faster that river flows, occasionally tossing us into the white water of challenges and unforeseen losses. Decisions need to be made more quickly and instinctually or we get swept away down a channel we didn’t mean to take, or over the falls into disaster.

Just when our minds and bodies are urging us to go slower, time sweeps us along.

And tomorrow is a hope, not a promise.

As I write, I can hear three antique clocks that Bob restored marking the passage of time.

Tick tock, tick tock. Seconds—minutes–hours gone.

Never to return.

That is why, as a book and creativity coach, I hate to see anyone, including myself, not practicing, not expressing her creative gifts as fully and frequently as the heart desires. I’ve done too many intuitive consultations for women who have spent years meeting everyone else’s creative dreams and not their own. The reasons are numerous and always valid…in their minds.

And one of the biggest and most often quoted reasons is Time.

As if the expectation is that they give everything up for the creative dream, instead of weaving it into the fullness of their lives.

But that is not what I am talking about. I’m talking about valuing the creative dream enough to claim it, first of all. As something worthy of acknowledgement and time.

I’m talking about taking the first steps toward that creative vision, even if it’s taking a few lessons, or buying a how-to book, or joining a group who does what you want to do. I’m talking about carving out even 30 minutes a day to write, to draw, to sing, etc. regularly. (And don’t give me excuses about no space, takes too long to get everything out and clean up after, etc. Get creative…find ways to BEGIN.)

Instead of thinking “if only” while watching American Idol, or reading someone else’s book.
Tick tock. Tick tock. Time slips away.

I recently did readings for a woman, her partner and her son. The son, a junior in college, is at the beginning of the river with plenty of time to explore and experiment. The woman’s partner, on the other hand, just retired and wanted something in his life to keep him involved and active. So he was thinking about doing something that had no juice for him. I could see in his body and his tone of voice that it was not a creative dream.

So, we pulled cards to help him get clarity around this passionless idea. Swords came up.

Did he like to write?

Yes. In fact, he’d written a couple of manuscripts that he’d shelved. He also loved and practiced an outdoor sport.

I pointed out that he could combine these two loves with a third he mentioned to create something that was his own unique creative expression in the world. His eyes lit up. He sat up straighter. A creative dream he could pursue while the river of Time swept him along.

Tick tock.

Where are you on the river of time? Are you at that place of meandering and exploration? Or is time sweeping you downriver fast—without your creative dream?

Are you practicing and expressing your creative gifts NOW?

Because the truth is, for all of us…

There isn’t ALWAYS tomorrow…

What are you doing TODAY to express your creative gifts?

Tick tock…

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