So, if you’re registered for the retreat, Don’t panic!
As the Geoffrey Rush character in Shakespeare in Love says, when they ask him how it’s all going to work out: “The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.”
“So what do we do?”
“Nothing,” he says. “Strangely enough it all turns out well.
“How?”
“I don’t know. It’s a mystery!”
Because of all this, though, the word “retreat” in all its various forms has been much on my mind. And I’ve decided to use it.
There’s the zen form of retreat:
But right now, when I look at that lovely istockphoto image, I know deep in my heart that those rocks do not represent zen or a retreat into serenity. Those rocks are fricking weapons… and not for nothing, but I'm pretty sure that says something.
Then there’s the battle form of retreat:
Ah! Now we’re getting closer…
I’ve been living my life for the past few months, telling myself, “After the retreat, things will get back to normal.”
Before the retreat duties picked up, it was, “After the holidays, things will get back to normal.”
Before that, it was, “After the summer, things will get back to normal.”
And when I said “normal” what I meant was “And I will get back to writing.”
I’ve come to understand that will never happen. Life will never be “normal” and I need to write anyway. I need to make writing my normal.
I seem to have been very good at filling my time with writing-related activities. It’s time to start cutting them loose. Start cutting me loose. Because, to paraphrase a famous line, talking about writing is like dancing about architecture…
Time to stop dancing. Time to stop putting “normal” off until after the next big event.
Time to stop. Period.
And my first stop will be to stop blogging with the Rockville 8.
Hopefully they won’t kick me out completely, and if I ever get my zen back and stop wanting to throw rocks, maybe I’ll find my way back to blogging about the writing that I’ll actually be doing. That would be cool.
Right now, I don’t know how that’s going to happen. It’s a mystery!
But I’m hoping it will all turn out well…
