On New Year’s day I read a great blog post by the poet Anthony Wilson. In this post he writes himself a letter for the coming year – he inspired me to do the same
Dear Avril
The New Year came gently at first, in clouds and a wind from the west. By evening the wind was fierce, demanding to be heard. As you take possession of the house, breathing out in all directions, you feel yourself shift like the wind. Contentment and peace and anticipation of the year ahead turn to restlessness, worry, unwarranted anxiety.
In the coming year you will spend many days like this: a funambulist, feet curled on the wire, troubled by the wind. The trick is to find the space between the highwire and the fall: the days of leather-soled slippers and lace umbrellas where you tread lightly, in balance, the days where the wire is narrow and the wind strong. You will find this space in the act of writing and creating something new.
You have days to look to, to mark on the calendar: the publication of your short story collection, a launch, workshops, a festival, a literary gig, a week of poetry – dates marked with stars, red letter days. Enjoy them, know that you find it all too easy to underplay them, you’ve been schooled for that from long ago. Try not to do that this year. Try to make them truly red letter. Do not apologise.
But remember the unmarked days: mornings of writing, afternoons of reading and being mindful, watching the trees blacken in the late sun, days you long for when you don’t have them, radio days, peaceful, alone days. And the days of sun and friendship, writing in the courtyard in Agde. These are the precious days, the days that live up to unheld expectations. The quiet days.
Take care of your body, keep your back loose, exercise more, stretch, do yoga, otherwise it’s going to get very hard to work at the computer and do the thing you want to do more than any other.
Poetry is calling, find the inspiration. Read. Read. Read. Finish your novella. Be proud of what you do, quietly proud.
Do not concern yourself with acclaim… ‘try to acclaim… a little bit every day, but not too much. Just some…’*
Give yourself permission to be more selfish and more giving. Give yourself permission to ask for what you want.*
‘Write as if you are not afraid.’*
Love
Avril
This is lovely! What a wonderful idea! I especially like the note about the unmarked days; they really can hold so much if we just notice them.
Thank you Jen – lovely to hear from you – as you will see I stole the idea but I think it’s something I might do every year from now on. And yes, I agree the unmarked days are often the most precious if only we notice them.
Beautifully written as ever. Wishing you a wonderful new year Ave. Much love Jan xx
Thank you Jan, wishing you a wonderful new year too – Much love Ave xx