Offering 2024–055

a farewell -

each drop of water
will end up in the ocean
eventually

— —

The explanation is simple enough — all things must come to an end. This includes my creative journey.

For those of you reading this on Instagram, the music accompanying the reel is The Moldau by Bedrich Smetana — the inspiration for this final haiku. Smetana’s symphonic poem describes the journey of the Vltava River (the Moldau in German) from its source in the forests of Bohemia, through the heart of the Czech Republic, to the point where it flows into the River Elbe. The song starts small, builds and builds into dramatic moments, then fades into nothingness just like the waters of Vlatva as they join the Elbe to flow to the sea.

This past Monday morning found me in the comfy chair trying to stick the landing on Offering 2024–050 before I had to leave for an appointment.

It didn’t happen.

When I came back and sat down to finish, I found myself lacking the desire to finish at all. I decided at that point that I was going to let the day pass by without posting for only the second time in over a year. I fully intended to come back the next day and start again.

It didn’t happen… nor did it happen the next day… or the next.

I’ve averaged at least thirty minutes of writing every morning for the last two years. That amount continued to grow to the point where a good portion of my morning routine was consumed by it forcing other endeavors to the side. When a bit of fatigue set in this week, writing itself got put on the shelf in exchange for sleep.

I’ve determined that the time has come to leave it there.

Before every one panics and starts asking my wife about my mental health, let me assure I’m fine. The fatigue I experienced earlier this week is gone and I’m back to the point where I’m awake before my alarm sounds at 4:40 a.m. My creativity is also still intact. Like the waters of the Vlatva, it’s taken on a new identity while flowing in a very different direction — writing code to assist my wife with her creative endeavors. It makes me every bit as happy as writing once did.

I still have things to say, but the words aren’t there for me right now… both in this post and in life.

It’s time to put down the pen and walk away.

To my faithful readers, I thank you for reading and bid you farewell.