Doing the next dumb thing

I have a wise friend, a visual artist, who is my sounding board and my reality check when things get tough. I might be overwhelmed at the idea of starting a new essay, putting my manuscript together and revising it (again!), or just dealing with my next doctor appointment or "procedure"--and this year I've had a lot of them.

"Just do the next dumb thing," he'll say.

Even though I've heard the words before, many times, it always helps to be reminded. It's as if he's grabbed me, and shaken me--gently--but firmly enough to slow down my hamster-in a cage-mind, and snapped me back to a deeper, or firmer reality. I might sigh, or take a deep breath, or just realize that, though it may not solve anything, I might want to lie down or write a little, even if it's just thoughts in my journal.

When I feel overwhelmed with the idea of writing, I know that creating one small thing, like this blog entry, will make me feel better.

So here I am, doing something, writing something but not much, and still, it's better than doing nothing.