I really didn't want to dress up my 18-month-old daughter, Annabelle, as a cow for Halloween. I had other, cuddlier/more photogenic animals in mind for her second Halloween: a dainty ladybug; perhaps a fluffy lamb.
The moment Annabelle saw the costume, though, she puckered up her lips and started to moo.
"You like this one," I said.
"Moooooooo!" she replied, with a discernible twinkle in her eye.
In costume, Annabelle stared at her reflection in the mirror as we got ready for her playgroup party, and she mooed loudly. At the party, she found a mirror under a table and returned to it again and again to admire herself (and to moo). She wore her costume headpiece throughout the entire party. When my friends said hello and greeted her with "You're a cow!" Annabelle happily mooed back at them.
So it was. Annabelle was a cow for Halloween.
It isn't always easy to let go of our preconceived notions of how our projects should turn out, but there is often real wisdom in letting our plans evolve simply into the way they need to be.
This simple principle has abundant applications in life and in writing. The next time you investigate a big decision, try focusing first only on learning all you can about the various options available to you. Then, when decision-making time comes, relax your mind and use your intuition to connect you with "what the situation wants to be." By shifting your focus from the outcome to the decision-making process itself, you allow your intuitive wisdom more space to express itself.
If you find yourself stuck while writing a piece, try stepping back from the work for a day or two. When you return, ask yourself honestly: "Am I interfering with the progress of this character/plot/thesis?" Or, "am I forcing this into something it's not?"
It can seem risky to relax into a new possibility, but often the results are refreshingly on-target and authentic.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for visiting my blog, and I can't wait to see more of your work on http://www.AestheticSpace.com.
Annabelle was just "mooing" at her cow costume as it hung up in the closet this morning. She's growing so fast, I doubt it still fits!
write well,
Coach Marla
Posted by: Marla | January 26, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Dr. Carolyn, Thanks for your comment...I'm glad you liked this post.
I'm learning that there's nothing better than a toddler to teach me how to "Go with the Flow." :-)
warmly,
Coach Marla
Posted by: Marla | January 26, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Hey Marla,
Your blog looks great. I LOVE the cow costume. And I'm ready to relax into some new possibilities!
Posted by: kim | November 25, 2008 at 05:38 PM
Love this post!!! So many times we try to make life what we want it to be instead of relaxing and going in the direction that it's taking us. Annabelle wins!
Posted by: Dr. Carolyn Clansy Miller | November 18, 2008 at 02:35 AM