The Choices I Make

Before I get on with today's post, check back tomorrow when I'll be having Dean Day in conjunction with Janna and several other bloggers.

Okay...on to the actual post:

It's no secret that the vast majority of writers love writing - I say vast majority, because at any given time, someone's having a love/hate relationship with it. Sometimes that someone is me. Writers write because they need to - it fulfills a deep seated need to create. Granted, most of us would like to be making money at writing, but the truth is, we'd write anyway. Although, I'll admit, Dakota makes a good point about piracy, the money we lose and considering packing it in because of it. But even if I chose not to write for publication anymore, I'd still write for me. Probably not at this current, frantic feeling pace, but I'd do it.

Because I'm lucky, the day job and the writing can be done from the comfort of my living room couch, often with the warmth of a catghan. (Thank you, Chris for that awesome word.) However, because both my writing schedule and the day job are so demanding, I'm on the computer all day and well into the evening. There's rarely a point where I say, "Okay, quitting time," and walk away. Someday, I hope to be far enough ahead of my schedule where I can do that.

But, that's not to say my family suffers. Of course, there are those evenings when I'm on a particularly tight deadline and I put in the Do Not Disturb headphones. But most of the time, when my family is home, I'm actively engaged with them. We hang out while they do homework, I make supper while they do their chores, sometimes we'll watch tv together, I hang with the hubby when he gets home and we talk.

I love to write, but I love my family more. If someone held a gun to my head and said, "Choose." I wouldn't hesitate. My family brings me more joy than anything else. Would I miss writing? Absolutely, but not as much as I'd miss my family. When I'm deep in work mode, I remind myself that my kids' childhoods are whipping by. Do I want to crank out that next 1000 word right this minute or do I want to have fun with my kids while they're still interested in having fun with me? Fun wins. Are there days when they drive me nuts because I can't get anything done? Sure - they're kids and I'm a mom. It happens. Come to think of it, it happens with the hubby from time to time, too. But ultimately, I feel like we have a good system.

I also think that there's an unspoken life lesson here for my kids. Following your dreams and achieving them doesn't just magically happen. You have to be dedicated and work towards them, but you also have to make time for all the important aspects of your life.