Persistence

Life as an optimistic (with a melancholy streak) creator

For today’s essay, I share a collection of thoughts on how life on the creative side often unfolds. Perhaps some of it will resonate with you. ~JRC

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Over time, and through life's ups and downs, I've managed to take on a "why not try" attitude. And it mostly works. Well, not mostly. But that's okay. I'm headstrong.

A dear friend once described me as an "optimist with a melancholy streak."

Optimism is persistence. 

I wish I could say it’s all been a storybook fantasy come to life. That the only thing left now is to write the screenplay of “me,” a soon-to-be movie on Lifetime Chanel. You know, one of those with a saccharine-sweet storybook ending. Yes, I wish I could tell the naysayers they were wrong and that I have prevailed.

But it’s far from this, and on most days, I’m left wondering, what’s next? Will the gains keep coming, or will it all stall and die long before I succeed? What is the measure of success, anyway?

When I dwell too long, I start getting overwhelmed by it all. So - I stop. And get back to making things.

Good comes through persistence.

Some seem to know they will succeed. And others believe they won't. A self-fulfilling prophecy either way. Me? Life often feels like a coin toss, but it’s not so. We can hedge our bets, and the odds seem to work out in our favor. If we work at it.

Odds mean nothing without persistence.

In living a creative life, one has to give things a try. Experiment. Branch out into new and uncharted waters. Live a little. It takes some risk-taking to see if we have what it takes to do whatever we think we should - in the moment or for the long haul. 

Creativity breeds optimism, even against the odds. Follow the heart, and joy ensues. It's seldom a safe bet. But it can be a satisfying one.

The road to happiness is paved with persistence.

Make a better tomorrow. Now that's a thought. With our hands, minds, and hearts, we build a promising future in the here and now. It's a world of substance and meaning. One of faith in humanity and ourselves. A world where we put aside our petty differences and choose to create something beautiful. 

If only because so much of this world is ugly enough already. 

To rise above takes persistence.

I don't know what comes next. And I have my worries, like most anyone. I occasionally express in words these fears as well as hopes - others I hold secretly. But deep fears can drown out all the positives when we let them. So I try my best not to let them linger for long. 

Hope ascends again.

JRC

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