–Tom Petty and Jess Lynne

I love the lyrics to Learning to Fly. He knows he has no wings and he’s going to fall, yet he tries anyway. Each time I hear those words I’m moved emotionally and intellectually. Yesterday I stopped and asked myself why. I don’t often do that because honestly I generally don’t care to know; I don’t want to dig that deep.


Maybe it’s age or the strangeness of 2012, but yesterday I was pleasantly surprised by my answer. Life is difficult, no matter how many rules you follow. You’re going to get hurt, but that doesn’t mean you stop being. 

In between moments of ecstasy: falling in love, giving birth, observing a sunrise, a sunset — I’ve sunk to the depth of despair. I’ve also loved so deeply that my heart felt as if it would burst. I’ve known joy, fear, bliss, grief, panic, euphoria, rage, and passion. I’ve used those emotions and experiences in my novels. I’ve stopped wondering about the why and accepted that I’m a writer and a storyteller. Sometimes things cannot be explained, nor can they be put into words.  

Every time someone writes a post telling you that you must work at your craft every day no matter what, that you must live with discipline, that you must use your gifts, that to be successful you must be diligent, especially when you don’t want to, please know none of that’s true. Somedays are just for learning to fly without wings.