When we last left Betsy, she was busy facing her doubts and fears, pushing the boulder of her work in progress up the mountain of her ambitions. Harry, the white rabbit who is the Guide on Betsy’s Quest to become a successful independent author, is nowhere to be seen. The Muse is absent, too. It’s just Betsy and Boulder, mano a mano, as it were.
Now we see that Betsy has finally (FINALLY) reached the top of the mountain of her ambitions, but she has not yet pushed the boulder over the edge. Instead, Betsy is sitting on a grassy knoll next to her boulder, looking out towards the sunrise of her hopes and dreams. She appears peaceful and satisfied as opposed to her normal insanity (although she IS talking to a boulder, so there’s that), but one has to wonder why she’s sitting and contemplating instead of pushing. What in the world is going on now?
Let’s see…
*Betsy sits in the soft grass* *Leans back against some rocks* *Looks out at the beautiful sunrise* *Sighs*
What are you doing? *The boulder, sitting in the grass beside her, appears puzzled* *Well, as puzzled as a boulder can appear*
I’m savoring the fact that I’m done with you, boulder. *Betsy props her elbow up on the boulder’s craggy side*
What are you talking about? You still have to finish your final read through. Then you have to get me cleaned up format-wise and shipped off to an editor.
Yes, yes. *Betsy waves it away* But I got you all the way here to the top of the mountain.
You really shouldn’t even be taking the time to write this blog post. You should be working on me.
*Betsy frowns over at the boulder* Can’t you just let me enjoy this little victory?
No! *The boulder appears agitated* Because it’s not a victory yet! It’s too early!
*Betsy pouts* Well, when CAN I enjoy it then?
*The boulder rocks in frustration* When you’ve finished! Once you actually take that last step and push me over the edge of the cliff so I roll wild, roll free. Until you get to the point in the process where I’m REALLY finished, you’re just procrastinating! Again!
*Betsy straightens* *Glares* You’re almost at the edge of the cliff, aren’t you? You’ll be rolling free soon. I only stopped because I wanted to write a blog post to let people know that I wasn’t sitting alone rocking in a corner. So sue me if I got a few days behind winterizing the Palatial Horvath Estate and figuring out how to be the most productive. I’ve actually been working, gosh darn it!
*If a boulder could sigh with resignation, this one would* Fine. Yes. But you know as well as I do that this is the most dangerous part of any project. Right now it’s very easy for you to tell yourself that I’m “almost finished” and not take the final step. Then I’ll fall to the wayside for weeks!
*Betsy throws up her hands* Don’t be ridiculous! You’ll be finished in two days. Three tops. Maybe four. Unless something else comes up I need to deal with first. The point is, you’re there. You’re almost there. Practically there. Basically there. So close I can practically taste it.
Close only counts in horseshoes. You have to follow through, finish me up, and push me over, for heaven’s sakes! Chop, chop! God knows you’re not getting any younger!
All right! *Betsy scowls* *Pouts* *Lowers her head* *Plucks some grass* *Studies her shoes instead of the beautiful sunrise* Maybe I’m a little concerned.
*The boulder really does sigh this time* Why now?
Because I’ve been writing you, and writing ABOUT you here in the blog for so long. I might have built up some false expectations.
Look, I’m just an ordinary little boulder. Nothing special. Not a massive War and Peace boulder or anything. I’m a little boulder you wrote for your newsletter subscribers and hopefully I’ll be out in other places eventually, too. But do you see that sunrise? *The boulder tries to gesture*
Yes.
That is the sunrise of your hopes and dreams. But that sun will never fully come up unless you finish me.
*Betsy frowns* Now who’s got an ego?
Ego, shmego. I know that I’m an ordinary little boulder. Nothing much at all. But I AM special to you because finishing me is one step closer to that sunrise I’d like to point to and can’t because I don’t have any arms. Or hands.
*Betsy thinks* And finishing you will be proof to myself that I can finish something again in spite of the year I’ve had.
And proof to yourself that you can create other little boulders to push up other little mountains.
And even if not many people read you, a few of them will and some of them might even like you.
And I’m the first step forward into the dawn of your life as you want it to exist.
And I do have plans for you. And for the other boulders that come after you and for the boulders that came before you.
And even though we are just little, ordinary boulders, if there are enough of us, we are mighty.
And maybe I have some plans for myself, too.
So?
*Betsy gets up* *Starts pushing* Almost there.
To be continued…
Speak Your Mind