Multicultural Muses : The Chaotic Muse : Page 2 of 2

Multicultural Muses

The Chaotic Muse

By Molly J. Anderson-Childers

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If possible, finish up as many upcoming projects as you can in the months before the move. Consider that for two or three weeks after you move in, you will be occupied with unpacking and won’t have time to work much — so do everything ahead of time. If you plan this right, you won’t have to worry about looming project deadlines while unpacking and settling into your new home. This is one of the things I did right this time, and it saved me a lot of stress and anxiety.

Try to get back into your creative working routine as quickly as possible after the move. This is important for you, even if you’re not on a deadline. To help get back into the swing of things, I packed a bookbag with my planner, address book, journal, pens, and my writing notebook for current projects. I kept it with me in my truck during the move so it wouldn’t get lost in the confusion. When I was ready to write, I didn’t have to waste time and energy digging through boxes — everything was near to hand and ready to go. This allowed me to take breaks from unpacking and cleaning in order to write — truly a blessing, and a much-needed respite.

Don’t overdo it. Moving is stressful enough without trying to set a world record for high-speed unpacking. Slow down. Thake your time. Listen well to your inner voice — it will tell you when to rest, when to take the night off and go out for pizza, when to stop and stretch or grab a snack. Ignore this body-wisdom at your peril. I ignored it, and overworked my aching muscles lifting too many heavy boxes, leading to a painful back injury. This resulted in horrific pain, loss of mobility, and a three-day absence from my job. During my slow recovery, I had a lot of time to think, to rest, to sleep, and to ponder this mess I’d gotten myself into. I realized quickly that, however much I might want to be, I am NOT Superwoman. I’m not even Batgirl. I can’t do everything all the time without paying a price.

Now that I’m up and around again, I’m taking things slow. To someone who has never been blessed with patience, this is infuriating — and necessary. It’s not exactly Zen and the Art of Unpacking at our new house, but it’s close. I try to be mindful; to respect my own limits, and take better care of myself. After a long day, I reward myself with a bubble bath, a movie, a good book, or a glass of wine. Periodic check-ins with myself throughout the day have become a habit, letting me know when I need to rest, drink a glass of water, or take a walk.

I‘m not afraid of Chaos anymore. I have bearded the dragon in her den and found her not nearly as horrifying as I’d imagined. In fact, I made a surprising discovery. I befriended chaos and made her mine. I did not let mere disorder stop me from doing my life’s work — writing. If you wait until conditions are “just right” to begin writing, I often find that you never get started at all. Better to learn to create in the midst of Chaos; let it feed your work, and teach you the hard lessons it has to teach. Find beauty and joy in it somewhere, and start there.

There is a common misconception that art arises only from a lofty state of grace, in the rarified air of delight. I often find the opposite to be true — dark times and a hard road to walk inspire my best work when grace is gone missing. More than that, during times of strife and trouble, unbearable loss and grief, I have discovered that the very act of writing is a lifeboat when I’m drowning. It is in the midst of chaos and stress that I need to write more urgently than ever, and that simple act of defiance and creation will anchor me to a sunny shore, and help me withstand the storms. •

© 2008 Molly J. Anderson-Childers

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About the Author | More by Molly Anderson-Childers
Molly J. Anderson-Childers is a wildly creative soul living in Durango, CO. She is a writer, artist, and creative arts instructor. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fort Lewis College with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, and successfully completed their Elementary Teacher Education Program. Her work has appeared in various publications, including The Durango Telegraph, Southwest Colorado Arts Perspective, Images, Voice Be Heard, The Four Corners Business Journal and On the Wings of Poetry. To contact Ms. Childers, please email her at: stealingplums@yahoo.com or send a snail mail to P.O. Box 4281, Durango, CO 81302-4281.

09/27/08