In three easy lessons.

First: Someone quotes you in an article somewhere. You’re reading along waiting to find what YOU wrote.

Second: What you’re reading strikes you as really, really, good. I mean really impressive. Can’t be yours. You keep waiting to read YOUR stuff.

Third: You realize, it IS your stuff. When the hell did you write this?


Photo by Girl with red hat on Unsplash

You didn’t.

Your Muse did.

Muse:

a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.

Middle English: from Old French muser ‘meditate’

Mine is divine, a goddess. I have nothing to do with Her other than to get out of Her way.

When She speaks, She makes me look brilliant.

It ain’t me. It’s Her.

We all have one. Yeah, that would be you, too.

Whether you’re an artist or writer or speaker or builder, a carpenter or street sweeper.

When you get out of the way of your Muse, you might find yourself in a fugue state. You don’t even recall doing what you do. Sure happens to me.

If it’s something you can see later, often you have no collection whatsoever of the creation of that work.

That’s what having Muse is like.

Mozart used to say that the music was in the air around his head. He just wrote it down, effectively. That’s a Muse. Sometimes it’s a real person. Mine shows up and disappears.

The trick is getting out of the way.

Worrying about money? My Muse hides.

Ranting? My Muse hides.

Angry? My Muse hides.

Open, soft, and curious? Ego on vacay?

She lands, light as a feather, puts me to sleep, and does the work.

I refuse to take credit for Her.

That just happened today. Someone quoted me. I had no recollection of writing the words. I actually sounded as though I had a few brain cells. More than that, which is how I know it couldn’t have been my work.

Not the first time. However, for those of you struggling to find yours, it helps if writing is indeed who you are, not just what you do to pay the bills.

Muses hang out with those with a passion, especially a passion to serve.

At least that’s been my experience.

I guess if I want my Muse to visit more often I might want to get out my own way more often.

Sigh.

Photo by Andraz Lazic on Unsplash

Dedicated to Nalini MacNab. She knows.