Rituals

Until this past year or so I did most of my writing at Panera.

It ended when my work hours were changed, and getting time away from other responsibilities just never happened. So other things just never happened either.

Writing didn’t happen.

Updating my blog didn’t happen.

Research didn’t happen.

Editing didn’t happen.

So publishing hasn’t happened.

But today, I am back in Panera. As soon as I walked in the door, I felt my mind focus. I taste my asiago bagel with cream cheese, and I’m ready to write. I’m surrounded by others who are absorbed in their computers, diligently tapping away. Even the smell and the background chit-chat of patrons away yonder near the warm fireplace are soothing, and put me in right frame to really write.

It has really hit home how much I missed this, and equally how much I need to either start observing my writing rituals again or get busy establishing new ones. Because I can’t stop writing again.