Church of the Ocean

Hitting the reset button, finding awe, and some bigger news.

November is here, and I’m glad for it. October threw me for a loop, and I mean that in the older sense of the term, rooted in boxing. The month dealt a powerful punch; it knocked me down a bit. Some extra seasonal work, a busy family life, and a few other curve balls left me distracted, blocked, and overwhelmed over the last few weeks. I fell off my early morning writing routine, which is not good.

The reality is that trying to write, raise children, and build a creative life is tough stuff some days. Even on the good ones, it’s a lot; on the hard ones, I wonder if I’ve got myself in too deep.

How to move forward?

I recently read an interview by Mark Leviton in the September 2023 issue of The Sun Magazine. This quote from “No Small Wonder: Dacher Keltner On The Science Of Awe” stuck with me, as Keltner describes how he dealt with his brother’s death.

I wouldn’t say I was depressed after his death, but I was struggling. For me, coming back into the world meant making an effort to seek out opportunities for awe. I got into the mountains, as I often have, but I also took a chance on things I was not so familiar with, like spirituality. A lot of people, in the midst of a crisis, need to find the will to keep looking for awe.

The simplicity and acceptance in Keltner’s description of how he coped struck me, and I love how he articulates “coming back into the world.” There are so many levels of grief and struggle, and while most of us count many blessings, it does us no good to belittle or ignore what weighs on our souls. Instead, let’s acknowledge that being human is just hard some days. 

And then, find something that amazes you.

When we first moved to Santa Barbara, a realtor described the gratitude of local residents: “We’re all just so happy to be here.”

It’s true; our Mediterranean-type climate is heavenly. Hummingbirds and monarchs flutter through our days. Baskets of oranges, limes, and avocados are commonplace on the side of the road, as neighbors share their backyard bounty. 

And of course, about three miles down the road, there’s the Pacific Ocean. The Church of the Ocean is how I think of it, as I know others do. It always grounds me, so on a recent weekday morning, I headed to the beach. 

The sun was high when I arrived, its rays sparkling off the water in a white-hot glow. I walked over the sand, crunching dried knots of seaweed, then along the tideline; mental weight began to fall away, replaced by context and ease. The sheer vastness of the ocean lends clarity and perspective. Our human lives are complicated…and not.

That same day, a dear friend sent a picture of the sunrise from our early morning walk. It was spectacular in real life, but even the photo on my phone reminded me that there is beauty in small moments. All the time!

I usually brace myself this time of year, as the busyness of the holiday season begins to creep its way into the family calendar. But after October, I’m in no mood for self-inflicted chaos.

Instead, this November, I’m resetting. The next few months will feel busy—such is life.

Here’s what’s happening in my writing world.

A few things I’ve learned (or been reminded of):

• Study and learn from others, but don’t compare. My path is my own.

• Take on what I can handle. Say no to what I can’t.

• Building a creative life is an ongoing, evolving process. Tiny bits of progress add up.

• As Nora Ephron famously said: “Everything is copy.” Even, and maybe especially, the difficult moments.

Project Updates:

• In the last month, I submitted a personal essay to an online journal. 

• I am preparing to submit a short story before Thanksgiving.

• I planned to devote an entire post to this bit of news, but like I said, October got hairy. So, I’ll just say it: I’m trying to write a novel. I’ll say more in future posts, but for now, I am about 6,000 words in. I’ve met with a writing coach and it went well. Also, it’s really hard.

Substack Shoutouts:

So far, my biggest challenge with Substack is dividing my reading time between publications. There are so many good ones out there! Substack has a generous recommendation feature, so you can always check out my list, but I thought it would be fun to highlight a new one in each post. Here’s one of my favorites.

• Chez Hanny
  by Hannah Ashe. A music teacher, writer, and interior designer, she writes about her journey with creative career change. I’ve enjoyed following her journey as she reflects on professional choices and navigates a new, multi-hyphenate life in London. She also runs a podcast Inspiring Creative Career Change, which can also be found on her Substack page.

As always thanks for being here. Wishing you an awe-filled November!

Please enjoy this lovely, gratitude-filled tune by Akyanna. The sweet story behind this song and more work by this artist can be found at www.aykanna.com