Be Good to Your Muse

Week of March 18, 2012—LIVING AND WRITING IN BETWEEN

Friday, March 23, 2012—Be Good to Your Muse

Your muse is the source of inspiration for your writing. Your muse is your heart. Your spirit. Your source of ideas.

Your writing muse is a sensitive creature who has to be protected and nurtured (and sometimes put in time out, or be sent to its room). Others may sometimes praise your muse or criticize your muse, but you are ultimately the only one responsible for its care and well-being. When you’re in one of those in-between times, your muse needs even more special care, so . . .

View a painting, invest in books,

visit art-filled museum nooks.

Splash at the beach, search in the sand,

sail out to sea away from land.

Hang out with friends, or hide away.

High-tail-it somewhere every day.

Talk with a friend, tie up loose ends.

Then take the time to make amends.

Laugh with gusto at the absurd.

Retell every joke you’ve ever heard.

Watch babies giggle, laugh, and sleep.

Wait for crawlers to begin to creep.

Smile at strangers. Satisfy favors.

Savor all new ice cream flavors.

Trudge through the woods. Take a long walk.

Time with yourself, listen and talk.

 Be quiet, calm, centered, still.

Before long your bucket will refill.

—Rob Sanders

Be good to your muse during the in-between times (and every other day). Then your muse will be good to you.