Our Writing Priorities

As we go through life, our priorities change.  A baby has nothing more important to do than eat and sleep.  Those are her priorities.  Nothing will stop her from getting what she needs.  No matter who has to be inconvenienced, she will do all she can to make sure she eats and sleeps.  But, as she grows, riding that two-wheeler ultimately becomes much more important to her than eating lunch.  Likewise, staying up late takes precedence over getting to bed on time.  Thus, eating and sleeping slowly move downward on her priority list.

So life goes, through teenage and young adult years.  Our priorities change much like the seasons - from driving, to dating, to job hunting.  If you've recently found yourself out of work, the refrigerator is next to empty and the electricity is due to be shut off in ten days, you can bet your sweet bippy your main priority is going to be getting a job.

Why isn't it that way for writers?  Why is it that most writers do not claim writing to be a high priority?  For some of us it is, but for most of us, it isn't.  For most of us, it's just a hobby.  It is what we would like to be our job.  In the meantime, most of us have a "real" job, with real families, real children, spouses, bills and other responsibilities that take priority over our writing.

That's just the way it has been for me these past twenty some years I have been a writer.  Writing has always been important to me, but in high school, my friends and dating took priority in my life.  After I got a job and got married, writing was still important to me, but not as important as keeping the bills paid and maintaining my relationship with my new husband.  I did always find time to write in my free time, though.  Most nights I could be found sitting alone in a corner chair, with a notebook on my lap and a pen in my hand.  Soon, it would be time for bed.  The morning would come and off to work I would go.  Soon, I became pregnant.  If anything takes priority in a woman's life, pregnancy will.  Once a baby comes, if anyone thinks writing is going to take precedence in a woman's life over that cute little baby's needs, they have another thing coming.

So, I've been busy raising children, making house payments and van payments.  So, I've been busy living life, being married and working.  Now, I am finding, as the kids are getting older, my priorities are beginning to take a turn toward writing.  Writing is slowly working its' way up my priority list.  The children are more capable of handling daily responsibilities.  It is feasible for them to not bother me while I am trying to write.  I have a very controlling personality and like to be in charge, which means I typically would rather just do everything myself.  But as I move my writing up my priority list, I also have had to move my controlling tendencies down.  I have to for the sake of my writing.

So, a new journey begins.  I am finally finding more time to write.  Maybe one of these days, writing will be my number one priority, no matter who has to be inconvenienced.  Just don't tell my husband.  In the meantime, I will take what I can get.  That is, if I can just think of something to write about.