Answering the Call to Create

Recently I had a chance to take photos at a spot I’ve been eyeing for the last year or so. It’s on a road that’s narrow and has semi-regular traffic. It was cold and cloudy, and the light wasn’t great, but I felt good that I got out early to explore this beautiful location.

There are always good reasons we can use to ignore the urge to write, to meditate, to run, to do whatever our heart is urging us to do. Once in a while the result will be exceptional and will move our abilities forward. But most often, the result will be simply ok, like the image above. I’m fine with that, because I’ve come to believe that the most valuable part of practice is simply answering the call when we hear it. Make the effort over and over again.

When we say “yes” to the call, we shut off the inner critic that wants us to stay in bed, stay in the car, get one more chore done, watch one more episode on Netflix. Soon that critical voice gets smaller and smaller. Answering the call becomes a daily practice, so we are ready when the special light hits and the new idea strikes. That’s how the magic happens.