Staring at a blank sheet of paper

I was on a creative roll last month and composed three consecutive Sundays of cyber-published middle-aged man written reflections here at Pierini Fitness.  

Last evening, I sat down with my very best plans to compose another masterpiece and make in four in a row.

I wasn’t sure what I would create and seldom do I know when writing a new composition.   Thoughts just enter my mind and strings of words are seamlessly chosen at a lightning-fast pace, thanks to skills acquired over 40 years ago in a high school typing class. 

For the most part, the written reflections I compose are quickly done.   I’ve written, edited and posted some of my best stuff in 15 minutes or less.

But last evening that wasn’t the case.  I started with one composition and put a good 10 to 15 minutes into it before deciding that it was a bunch of nonsense; so I abandoned that effort and sat in mental silence about the nothing I had to show for my efforts.

After a few minutes, another idea came into my head so I went to work with what I thought would be a clever and great middle-aged man written reflection.  About five minutes later, I found myself feeling the same as I did earlier; not satisfied with what I was creating, considering it more garbage and then making another “business decision” to throw it overboard.  There I was again with nothing to show for my efforts.

That’s the way it is for those who are creative or strive to be.  We all get our turn visiting the dark side of creative dryness.  What I’ve learned when it’s my turn to experience it – after going through a pout session and maybe some despair – is how stars shine the brightest in the darkness of the night.

Yup, I realized that again last night when looking at my computer monitor and staring at a blank sheet of paper.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum