I think so.
Sure, there’s long, solitary hours at the keyboard and shoulder-slumping disappointment when an agent fails to reply to a query. Then there are days when an interviewee cancels at the last minute or fails to reply to my half-dozen emails. And, although hard to admit, little envy arrows ping now and again when a fellow writer receives a three-book contract. But that emotion never lasts long.
On occasion, I spend full days fine-tuning my completed manuscript, one of my best-friends, instead of finishing the first draft of a new novel, a mere acquaintance. Don’t get me wrong, I love Book Two, but we’re still in the getting-to-know-each-other phase, so it’s awkward hanging out some days.
Despite these issues, I believe the writing life is a good life, the best possible life for me. Here’s why:
- It pays the bills. Okay, freelancing pays a few bills.
- I set my own schedule, at least for the most part.
- Writing is a rush. It’s the only activity where seconds morph into minutes, and, before I know it, I’m squinting at the computer screen because dusk interrupted.
- It’s a dream come true and a challenge rolled together like a homemade cinnamon roll. It’s a laborious process, but the end result, if I follow all the proper steps, is sweet and delicious.
- God gave me this opportunity, and I refuse to squander it.
According to my favorite Christmas Movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey doesn’t readily recognize he’s living the dream – a great spouse, wonderful children, a community that loves and respects him. It takes Clarence’s nudging before the realization dawns on the banker.
Without question, life didn’t unfold as George expected, but whose does? Not mine or probably yours. Still, it’s a wonderful life.