Going For A Ride

I bought a new car last week. This is the first car my wife and I have owned that was built in this century. Our last car was a good horse, she’d served our family well through snow storms and long family outings and thousands of trips to the grocery store. She was dependable, rugged, roomy, useful, but not really fun. In fairness to her, that wasn’t why we bought her. We were a young family and needed to be carted safely and comfortably. The family’s grown, and it was time to put her out to pasture.

The new car is fun. I didn’t fully understand it was fun until I drove it home and saw it parked where the old car used to stand. It’s red and compact and, yes, sporty, and my very first thought once I stepped out of it was, “I can’t wait to drive her again.” In my fifty-four years, I have never looked forward to driving a car. Driving was just something I had to do to get where I needed to go. That very night, after a long day day at the dealership, when I volunteered to go get something for dinner, my wife asked if I minded. I smiled and said, “Not at all.”

I’ve gotten a lot done since we bought the car. In fact, I wish I had more to do. Doing something means going somewhere and going somewhere means driving and I’m looking for any excuse to do just that. This may fade, but in the meantime I’m reminded how the only thing that ever stands between me and doing anything is how friendly a story I’m telling myself about whatever it is I’m going to do. Any idea that it might be boring, or hard, or scary, or a waste of my time shrouds that task’s corner of the future in an unwelcoming shadow. I only want to go where I’m welcome, and the more shadows I see the longer I spend not moving.

This is exactly what keeps so many people who want to write from writing. Once you’re really on your way, once you’re in the flow and following the story where it wants to go, the experience is all friendliness. But first there is the uncertainty, the dark portal through which your fearful imagination can dream any outcome. Step through that shadow into what is waiting, into what actually is—your story always the perfect vehicle for finding where you most want to go.

If you like the ideas and perspectives expressed here, feel free to contact me about individual coaching and group workshops.

Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence.
You can find William at: williamkenower.com