Returning to the Library: How Reconnecting with Books Reawakened My Creative Self

by | Jan 7, 2024 | Just for Fun

A Long Time Away from the Library

I stepped inside a physical library for the first time in probably six years this past week. I was quite stunned when I realized that it had been that long.

Sure, I’ve checked out books through Overdrive, but I have not stepped into a building. Whew! Why?

Many folks might be thinking that it was the pandemic that caused me to stop showing up in person, but that is not the case at all. Something else happened six years ago that (I feel) began to change me:

The Life Detour: Becoming a Park Ranger

In 2019, I was hired as a Park Ranger. In 2020, I went through six months of training at the police academy and became a sworn officer (which is required in the state where my park was located). I loved so much about that job and was quite happy about it. I got to live in the park, work in the woods, and help people.

The downside to that was that the energy I expended as an introvert interacting with people throughout the day caused me to want to basically hibernate when I was off duty. It’s not that I never left the house when I was off duty, but I didn’t really have to very much. My husband generally picked up what we needed on his way home from work. It was pretty much an introvert’s dream, really.

Moving, Transitioning, Reconnecting

When we moved to South Carolina in 2024, and I had to go out to change my driver’s license and other in-person necessities, I realized that it felt a little weird mingling with people again as a civilian.

After the move, I was busy the rest of 2024 building the framework to support my writing and creative goals. This year is shaping up to be more about reconnecting with the world in the ways that are most meaningful for me. That started last week with the library.

My Library Card Moment

I finally realized that I would need to go into my local library to get a membership, even if I still chose to check out books through Overdrive. I made the awesomely-short distance to the building, signed up for my library card, and then stood in awe of the many, many books. It was the most natural thing to begin roaming the aisles and gazing up in joy at the towering shelves filled with the labor and love of so, so many creatives.

I was limited to checking out three books on my first day.

I checked out three books.

I will be back for more.

When Was the Last Time You Went to the Library?

Are you a library regular or a returning wanderer like me? Have you had a “reconnection moment” recently that brought back something joyful? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Let’s keep finding our way back to what feeds us. One overdue adventure at a time.

Letting Go of Labels: Creativity, Identity, and the Art of Trust

by | Dec 22, 2016 | Evolving Thoughts

Why We Love Labels (Even If We Don’t Admit It)

I have been chewing on a particular phenomenon where we, as humans, choose a way of life and then claim a label as an identifier for who we are. For me, a couple of my current labels I claim are: I am a writer and artist. At one time, I claimed to be a raw foodist. Growing up, I claimed to be Mormon. And, of course, there are many, many other labels I could probably claim.

I suppose labels are useful in that they give us a screenshot of what we can expect a person’s values to be and I’m not suggesting here that we should discard them.

When Labels Get Pushy

What I struggle with is when someone makes a life choice that works for them and then that person decides that the way they live is the best way and that everyone should follow suit. And so, they begin to try to convince others that they should be like them and make the same choices that they do.

I can see in these circumstances that the intent is generally to do good. Most times these people are sharing things that helped them find happiness and they want that for others and I think that intent is awesome. What is uncomfortable and not the best ever is when I see someone sharing something that obviously does not resonate with the other person and instead of getting that and moving on, the label-person pushes the issue, certain that he/she can cause the other person to see that they are right.

And I guess I can kinda get that. There have certainly been times when I thought I had things figured out (ha-ha!). Now I have to consider that maybe there is no right, or at least no ONE right (except maybe showing love to one another).

Creativity Requires Space to Breathe

People get to similar places in life from completely different paths. I think that is the coolest part of our existence. Different ways of thinking and varied lifestyles also seem to be our best tools for evolution.

So, I am going to be on the lookout next year for the places that I have grown self-righteous (that is really what this post is about, anyway) because I feel that is a huge limiting factor to creativity. I don’t think that means I or anyone else has to give up the personal guidelines (or labels) we have selected for supporting the life we wish to have, but I think it does mean that we have to trust that other people will find their way, even through what we might perceive as a wrong path or wasting time, to their eventual best life.

Let’s Be Curious Instead of Certain

If you’ve ever felt boxed in by a label—or been the one doing the boxing—I’d love to hear your thoughts. How do you balance personal identity with creative openness? Let’s chat in the comments.