GROWING OR DYING

 I was reading a blog from Tony Robbins where he said we are either growing or dying. I guess in a sense we are doing both. Our bodies are dying, since the moment of birth. But in the in-between time from our birth to our death, we really can choose to grow or "die while alive."

Growth can be hard, even painful. When you get older, you just feel so tired of it all. Been there, done that, too damn tired to do it again. But if this keeps being your life motto, you soon find yourself dealing with depression and a loss of meaning and purpose to your life.

You're never too old to grow, or too tired, either. It might feel that way temporarily, so rest. But don't make resting state your default state, because that will lead to regrets later, when you look back and realize you did indeed have plenty of time and energy left to find new purpose, resurrect old dreams or create new ones, and give of yourself. 

Growing as we die may sound paradoxical, but we can do both. We can continue to expand ourselves even as our bodies go toward an end point none of us can escape. It's what we do up until that end point that matters and as long as we are breathing, there's time and energy to spare.

 Because I write full-time, I find it hard to blog. I find it hard to remember to blog. My brain is so filled up with words and ideas and research. It finally occurred to me that maybe I was writing too many non-fiction books. I mean, people would ask about one of my earlier books and I couldn't remember one factoid or thing I had written about! I've stopped doing much radio because I have to go back and read what I wrote years ago.

Me thinks my brain is too full. I have a couple more non-fiction titles under contract and then I think it's time to return to the creativity of the right brain. I am writing more fiction, screenplays, novellas and it makes me so happy. I've rediscovered my passion for writing and telling stories, a passion that began when I was old enough to talk and got teased by my beloved Poppy for taking any ordinary situation in life, such as a trip to buy shoes, and spinning an elaborate story out of it. When my Poppy said that to me, he was recognizing what I came here to do...tell stories.

I will write non-fiction in the future if the spirit moves me, or if I get an offer I cannot refuse! But I long to return to the days when I could look at something ordinary, and see something deeper...enough to spin a story out of it. My Poppy knew me even before I knew myself.