Writing Deferred

A Dream Deferred
by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

Like so many other writers I have met, writing is not the only thing I do. That being said, it is not always at the top of my to-do list. So often, other portions of life take precedence. Certainly, my children and family are the most important. But there are also other things, such as paying jobs (gotta have those), medical appointments (need those, too), and chores. They are often the obstacles that get in the way of my writing.

Since the open road is often my muse, I will use it as a metaphor for my dream deferred (which is writing).

I have been writing for over 20 years. And so often in the past, I allowed writing to take the very last seat on my bus. Sometimes, the bus was so full with work and doctors’ appointments, there was little room for writing. Often it had to squeeze in like the third person on the edge of the school bus seat. Other times, it stood at the bus stop, watching the bright yellow vehicle zoom right past. When it did have the opportunity to ride, it experienced bumps (the buzz of the dryer) and detours (business call that wouldn’t go away) and various swerves to avoid obstacles that often threw writing smack into the aisle.

Writing is something I must do whether I publish or not. And often when I neglect writing for too long, the ideas no longer show up on my bus route. Sometimes they are still around, but they’re weathered and covered in street grime. Tired of waiting for me to finish their stories, the characters seem to move on to other things.

It fills me with sadness to lose those opportunities to nurture ideas. I sometimes get cranky if too many days pass without writing. In the end, it is important to honor writing and not let it wind up neglected. I have learned the importance of not allowing my writing to be deferred. But it is hard to balance writing with the other necessities in life. Do I stay up late and write when everyone is asleep even if it is not my best time? Do I give up my exercise regimen, so I can ink a few hundred words? I don't have the answer. I do know that I don’t want writing to shrivel like a raisin, and I certainly don’t want it to explode. That would just be one more mess to clean up.

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life? I would love to know.