This is my last post before Christmas, and indeed, this is my last post of 2017! Before I get on with my post, then, it’s time to wish you all a …
Hard to believe, isn’t it? Well, for me at least it is. I know that for many of you and many among my wider circle of acquaintances, 2017 has been a difficult year to navigate. There has been political upheaval, of course, and there have been so very many tragedies–the shootings in Las Vegas and elsewhere, drought, fires, floods, illnesses, and many more troubles of both a personal and a natural (and a national) nature.*
I sincerely hope that there have been good things that have come to you in 2017 as well as those hardships. The holidays are a time for celebration and rejoicing, but for so many people, they’re actually the hardest time of hear–a regular reminder that they do not have what others do: security, comfort, a loving family, and so forth. (HuffPost recently featured an article on this phenomenon.) Some of you may know what I’m talking about, though of course I’m hoping that the majority of you remain blissfully unaware!
As we move into 2018, I want all of you to know that here in the self-publishing community, you have a home. You have people who care about you and your creative endeavors, your health and security. We’re here to support you in this liminal space between old year and new, old projects and new projects, old dreams and new dreams.
What is a liminal space? In her Psychology Today article, Carrie Barron writes that it comes from the Latin for threshold, when something about your life has changed and you find yourself adrift, looking for that next thing to come along and help straighten you out. But liminal spaces can be rich territory for creativity, she goes on to say. They can, in fact, provide space for learning more about yourself–who you are and what you need out of life–as well and provide a mental break from the daily grind. And after a rough year? Barron writes that sometimes a “really simple interpretation can be much more helpful to a patient than a profound, deep one, if it is the right timing and offered with empathy.” And in that spirit, I’d love to repeat what her friend once told her:
You were really battered. Time heals.
And I would add: There’s more to come. The great thing about liminal spaces is that they are moved through. They’re places and times of transition, and you will transition through this one, if you’re having a rough holiday season. And as always … we’ll be here for you both in the difficult, creativity-sapping times, and in the glorious, high-flying times. We’re here for you in the holidays … and in the seasons that come after.
You are not alone. ♣︎
* If you’re still looking for tangible ways to help, the death toll in Puerto Rico was recently officially recounted and declared to be more than 1000, and much of the island is still without power. Charity Navigator has a list of highly-rated relief organizations you can support over the holiday season. They are a great resource no matter which cause touches you; you can search for many of this year’s disasters and see a full list of rated aid organizations.
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