Creating Space

The breaking water lines in this fair city gave my children and me an entire week of time off from school. Yes, some of it will have to be made up later, but I found the extra time just what I needed when I needed it. It allowed me to do some organizing and cleaning out. The cleaning out, in turn, helped me conceive this little corner of space as a spot just for me to work on some special projects-- a room of my own-- a corner of my own.

Above is the view from behind my corner-- the foyer space.

Below is the view from the chair (wearing my recently made pajamas). I can sit with my notebook or my netbook and look out of the nearby window.

On my little table, I have the things nearby that I need: a place for some hot tea, pencils, paper, books to read and consult, and a lamp.

Probably even more difficult than creating a physical space, however, is finding the creative space and time needed to work. It is so easy to let almost everything else get in the way. Thankfully, bi-weekly meetings with a critique partner are helping me construct blocks of time in which to work. This week, I might not have even made one hour for my project except that I knew I had a meeting scheduled on the calendar. Time is available even when it seems scarce, if I take hold of it, shape it, and sit with it.

Now I have everything I need. . . some ideas, a corner for reading, working, writing, and thinking, and time. Wait a minute! A corner of my own? Well, except for those two gray cats (looking out the window), and their company is welcome.