To play is the most age-defying act I know. This year I am granting myself a month or more of Big Magic sabbaticals where creativity reigns over everything else. Come join me!
While I have felt a bit jealous of my friends who work at places that fund academic sabbaticals, I generally am glad to be at the school where I teach (where it’s not difficult to find people to pitch in when I say, “Hey, y’all, here’s this thing I want to do!”). But I have lately—probably because it’s summer—been thinking about the “Brigadoon experiences” that I’ve done and missing them. Summer camp growing up. The Dickens Universe (going on now in Santa Cruz). The month-long NEH seminar I once attended.
So, I’ve been letting my imagination go and writing about what it is I enjoy about these experiences, which itself has been fun. And once I figure out some of the commonalities about them, maybe I can figure out how to work some of those things into my life.
Thinking in terms of artist dates and sabbaticals is helpful. Thank you!
I see the big transformation in you, Amy, from being chained to your to-do list and responsibilities, to liberating and granting permission to yourself to take a sabbatical and follow your creative pursuit whole-heartedly. That must have taken a lot of "pattern rewiring." Bravo!
I enjoyed reading how storytelling is your natural gift even at that young age, and how you told stories to soothe you siblings from the anxietiy of the present moment.
I think that financial stability is the prerequisite of being able to take a sabbatical. And I'm glad you have finally persuaded yourself that you are indeed in a secure place to do something purely for yourself and for play. That was a big step!
For me personally, I also wish I could take a break as I'm burnt out from the trauma and depression I experienced in the past two years. But there's no financial security for me, so it remains a luxury and fantasy at this point.
Thank you Louisa for those kind words and for walking hand in hand with me to rewire patterns these past few years. Bravo to us both! Can you imagine that many days I don't even write a to-do list anymore? I know what needs to be done that day, and I know what my heart most wants to do, and I do the heart-led, creative-led thing first (which is to work on my current novel). That truly is some dramatic rewiring!
I wish for you the opportunity to have financial pressure ease so that you one day can give yourself the gift of whatever creative sabbatical you most desire. Keep that fantasy alive!
Indeed, we walked hand in hand in rewiring our old patterns. It’s been no small feat, hasn’t it? Bravo to us! I rejoice for you that you can live a soul and heart-led life. What freedom! What liberation! I certainly hope that one day I can have the financial means to take a sabbatical. Just doing nothing would be such a sweet pleasure :-)
I loved reading about how you played as a child and the way you and your siblings were so imaginative.
And I’m inspired by the way you’re opening up to more play and rest. What a beautiful gift!
While I’ve never taken an official sabbatical, I see how important it can be, particularly for those longing to deepen and expand their creative expression. I’m so excited for you!
I’ve been practicing flow in my days where I’m more tuned into myself and ebb and flow between doing and being, action and play, productivity and rest. It’s more of an art than a science, but I find I’m much more relaxed than ever before. I have a desire to create a life I never feel the need to get away from.
But I can’t deny, there is something so delicious sounding about a month sabbatical. The Big Magic and authentic expression flowing through you! Keep us updated! Xoxo
I am as always so inspired by you, Deb. I loved hearing about how you practice flow in your days, that you have a desire to create a life you never feel the need to get away from. I think for me, the sabbatical is a deepening of the life I am creating for myself—not to get away from it but to give it these times of deeper pause, a new setting or vantage point from which to grow & expand. But I agree cultivating flow each & every day is the ideal.
I've been thinking about sabbaticals since reading this and talking to you. Often in the world, we hear of longer (6 month?) sabbaticals, but you are showing us that 1 month is an option - opening up more people to be able to do this. But then, I wondered if perhaps we all start small. Like you, you've taken mini sabbaticals every time you break away from your work and walk on the beach or dance or light a candle. And then you increase that time.
It made me think about the beauty of expansion - as you expand, you are able to take bigger risks to expand more. So you started with micro-sabbaticals...and now you're considering this 1 month one. Perhaps we can all find what works for us - a minute, an hour, a day, a week...and beyond.
With the intention to take a deeper pause, to deepen our lives, and expand and grow.
This is such a beautiful way to crystallize the message around sabbaticals, thank you Deb for sharing your thoughts around this. It helps me reframe those really "mini sabbaticals" I take every time I as you say walk the beach or light a candle and lie on my mat to do gentle yoga, as I did last night. Yummy! Some moment of refreshment and replenishment is always available to us.
Amy! Loved hearing about your childhood play in play! As you know I took a sabbatical last summer when I cat/house sat in Anchor Point, Alaska. My first priority (after caregiving for the cats) was diving deep into Storytelling through folktale reading and research. It was marvelous to read and read and read, supplied by the bookshelves of Storyteller Ingrid and the Homer Alaska Public Library. ♡
This reading reignited my passion for traditional tales which had taken somewhat of a backseat to other forms of Storytelling.
Each day also included loads of time simply watching the local flora and fauna including the pair of Sandhill Cranes who visited daily.
And then there's the sense of play; whether with the cats or once again dying my now grey bangs pink and dressing up for the Barbie movie and going solo to a local teahouse where I met more vibrant women and then was invited to join them for the movie!
Upon return from Alaska (and the roadtrip across the US & Canada) I thought I'd be, immersing in performance Storytelling again, but as you know my mom required live in caregiving.
I've slowly been making my way back to play. Recently, Storytelling and Theatre for youth found me through a local theatre company: Touchstone Theatre. Ive been invited to be a Teaching Artist for their Young Playwrights Lab and to create a Storytelling Institute! Yes to play!
Yes to Big Magic! Excited for You Amy and all the Play and Big Magic you're inviting in and also inviting us to invite play in too!♡♡♡♡♡
PS. I've take mini sabbatical of 1/2 day or whole day since 2015 inspired by Golden Girl Carol in DC.♡
PPS. Thank you for the Art Date idea! I'm adding that to my exploration and play!♡
I remember talking to you when you were on your Alaska sabbatical and of course hearing your magical storytelling about it; it sounds like it was a wonderful container for story exploration, creation and nature and CATS! I so wish I had been watching "Barbie" with you and that group of women. Congrats on being invited to be a Teaching Artist for the Young Playwrights Lab and to create a Storytelling Institute! That is so awesome! Thank you for the reminder that mini-sabbaticals can also work and that we have the gift of our imaginations to transport us anywhere at any time. You have always inspired me with your playful spirit and heart. I will never forget you on your Big Wheel with your pink streaks in your hair!
Beautiful and inspiring essay. You’ve inspired me on many levels. I love the idea of using a prompt to have a starting point of writing a post. Ive spun long stories from a prompt and enjoy the spontaneity. You took me back to making up games and rules when I was little. What fun!
Thanks Karina for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on the essay. Prompts can be amazing thought starters, right? As for making up games and rules of the world, that is why I love writing fiction. I'm still that little girl, making up stories, this time for grownups.
Even just reading this feels so expansive, Amy. Perhaps I’ll give Artist’s Dates a try here, in my new home - it’s been years since I read The Artist’s Way; the timing feels right to return to it.
Wishing you a Big Magic Month (or two, or three!) in the near future...and plenty of magical moments before then.
Thank you, Dana, for this comment and I do hope that you give the Artist's Dates a try--can be a wonderful incentive for discovering a new home/new environment. And glad to hear the Artist's Way feels like it might need to be returned to now. I feel that way, too. Appreciate you!
Amy, soooo good! I recently took a sabbatical. It was not planned. And yes to curiosity and play! I put aside time daily for that. Especially enjoy saltwater swims and water dancing. I look at the shadows as dance partners. I used to run from them.
Julia Cameron is wonderful! Enjoy your artist dates. Can’t wait to hear about your discoveries if you decide to share.
Thanks for sharing Constellations. I love hearing about your water dancing and think I need to do that in today's ocean swim. As for seeing shadows as dance partners, I totally agree. These days I am curious about what they have to teach me. I'll certainly be reporting back on my artist dates and sabbatical progress. And glad you had a recent sabbatical; unplanned can be the best kind!
I always love your essays - continually inspiring and this one really lit me up.
Cheering you on as you jump into your Sabbatical! I say do it.
I love how you speak of letting ideas find their way to you. How when we stay in constructed places of daily commitments/duties we close off that part of our brain. The antenna goes down so we aren’t receptive to all the creation around and within us.
The artists dates are helping me so much with that. Even just 30-45 minutes alone with a new creative toe-dip is stirring things up for me.
Also, reading this did make me nostalgic for my childhood and, honestly, a little sad for my own kids. They have no idea what they are missing - being pulled and lured by devises all day long. Now that my kids are tweens and teens, they are at a social disadvantage if they are away from their phones for too long. I’m trying to have more of an open mind about it (there IS some creative artistry going on with TikTok etc) but I just want them to go hands free outside and roam. Experience the feral childhood that I had. {*sigh* end of rant*} 🙃🙃
Allison, thanks as always for being here and being such a supporter of my work. Glad to hear the Artist Dates are giving you those "creative toe-dips." I start officially with the 12-week Artist Way program next week and luckily, I have a business trip planned to Washington DC next week, with extra time built in for a visit to one or more of my favorite Smithsonian museums, so I will have a wonderful artist date there. I also understand your nostalgia for our device-less childhoods and how we had the gift of relying on our imaginations and "free play." Johann Hari in his book Stolen Focus has a great section in there about the loss of independent play for today's children and it really struck me how sad this is. And yet, I know what you mean in that your children can be socially disadvantaged when they go against the stream. But I see how you engage your daughter in the painting of the birdhouses and I know what a committed and thoughtful mom you are, so I've no doubt you'll continue to find ways to spur them to put down the devices and go exploring with you. It is one aspect of the Jewish Sabbath tradition I like. On Friday nights there can be no electronic devices, and for strictly observant families, not even electric lights. Families light candles, have a delicious meal, gather to talk, to play board games or cards. I did not grow up in that kind of religious Jewish household but I've often thought what a wonderful tradition it is. I think you don't have to be Jewish to adopt a "family evening" where devices get put away and TV stays off. Food for thought, right?
Yes, absolutely food for thought! Just yesterday I mentioned to my husband that we ought to sit the kids down and the four of us have a "state of the union" (lol) as to how we want the rest of summer to go. Carve deliberate time for us to check in with one another as a family, no devices, work, distractions, etc. I live in a town that has a considerable number of Jewish families and am friendly with many of them. I have felt quite envious of the ritualistic Sabbath tradition. I know what you mean.
Oh, and I didn't even mention in my initial comment that I, too, just the other day, got to marvel over a turtle laying her eggs. She one was outside my front porch, in the grass next to our steps (a box turtle). I watched from my doorway window as she diligently worked at digging that hole with her back legs (2 hours she was out there!)
Just another synchronicity between you and me, my kindred friend! xoxo
"State of the union": that's great! I hope your kids are receptive to the suggestion. And so cool you got to see your box turtle lay its eggs. That patience and dedication! There's a lesson in there, for us.
I love this idea of a sabbatical, as well as the wise words from Elizabeth Gilbert about letting the magic slip through. This has decidedly not been a year of magic for me, but maybe after I get through this big project (co-founding a book festival, which is great, but has taken over my life this year) I can do that.
Wow! Co-founding a book festival is a big deal, Sarah! You’ll certainly be deserving of a sabbatical after that. My friend Catherine Pettersson, an American in Stockholm, started The Stockholm Writers Festival from scratch & it’s become hugely successful, for English language writers in Sweden & all over Europe. I would be glad to put you in touch if you think that would be helpful. Best of luck!
So much great food for thought here, Amy. Last November I sustained a brain injury, and for awhile I was banned from most of my usual activities. I did a lot of coloring! And cookie making! And napping! I really kinda loved my toddler lifestyle. It brought me back to writing, and I started my Substack in the wake of it. It's stalled in the face of things I just have to tend to, but now I know what can come out of the kind of sabbatical you describe. I hope you'll give yourself that time if it's available to you!
Rita, first, I am sorry to hear about the brain injury but I am glad to hear about the silver lining--the toddler playtime activities you revived and most importantly, you came back to your writing and shared it here on Substack. Yay! Thanks for your encouragement. I know I will find my path toward my Big Magic month/year/many, many magical moments. Not sure yet what it will look like but I am excited to find out.
I took a sabbatical at 30 and it surprised me in so many ways. I found love at a time when I’d lost faith in it, lost and gained friendships, and reawakened my inner child with long hikes in strange landscapes and countless hours in museums. I ended up exactly where I’d wanted to be when I left, but my journey took twists and turns I could never have planned. Above all I learned I have so much work to do within myself and that was the most valuable lesson. Highly recommend to anyone to do a sabbatical at some point.
What a beautiful and wise reflection my daughter; I have seen all these changes in you since your sabbatical and it continues to inspire me. Can’t wait to have our mini-sabbatical together this September walking the Camino💗
Thanks Deb and I am so glad I inspired you! Yes, as adults we need constant reminders to keep playing. When a dear friend came to visit last summer, she took my hand and started SKIPPING along the beach and with delight I skipped along with her, just the way I did as a child. It filled my heart so.
This sounds awesome, hon - YAY! I'm cheering you on and Look forward to hearing about your Big Magic Sabbatical.
While the majority of my time is caregiving (and I know you know how all-encompassing that can be), in respite times, I dedicate time to doing something different/creative to free my brain and check in with the curious, learning part of my brain. Giving permission and allocating this time is SO important these days. Often it involves seeing an art exhibition or live music (with a mask!) to stimulate my dancing brain cells ;-) This sustains my need to keep evolving....for now ;-) Phew for finding and starting Carer Mentor on Substack when I did!! ;-)
Victoria, I am so glad that you give yourself permission to be creative in ways that fill you up and replenish you, which is especially important as a caregiver. I too love art exhibits and live music. And the love and attention you put into Carer Mentor shows--and I hope that is as restorative to you as it is to others.
I’ve chosen to take a mini sabbatical this weekend when I close my office for the day but I’m actually at home. It sounds like no big deal but in almost 30 years I’ve only done it once. If we are here we work! Sheesh, what’s up with that? (jk, I know what’s up with that!)
Your excellent essay made me pause to consider what I used to do as a child. I LOVE your fortune telling adventures! Mostly I would read, write and color which got me thinking about what I do now.
The ideal of unstructured time has come to be the holy grail and your essay allowed me to see the glimpse of possibilities, thank you Amy.
That's fantastic, Donna! I also work from home and it takes such resolve to be at home, close to our office space, and NOT WORK. Perhaps it's time to start coloring again? Or some none-writing creative pursuit. I often think about that. I've got sketch pads and colored markers and crayons but don't often allow myself to just doodle. I know that Elizabeth Gilbert does that with her Letters to Love journals. I think any activity that is creative but takes us out of our analytical brains is a form of play we need to nurture. Hope you find some unstructured time to just BE this weekend, Donna. Happy mini sabbatical! Let us know how it went.
While I have felt a bit jealous of my friends who work at places that fund academic sabbaticals, I generally am glad to be at the school where I teach (where it’s not difficult to find people to pitch in when I say, “Hey, y’all, here’s this thing I want to do!”). But I have lately—probably because it’s summer—been thinking about the “Brigadoon experiences” that I’ve done and missing them. Summer camp growing up. The Dickens Universe (going on now in Santa Cruz). The month-long NEH seminar I once attended.
So, I’ve been letting my imagination go and writing about what it is I enjoy about these experiences, which itself has been fun. And once I figure out some of the commonalities about them, maybe I can figure out how to work some of those things into my life.
Thinking in terms of artist dates and sabbaticals is helpful. Thank you!
I see the big transformation in you, Amy, from being chained to your to-do list and responsibilities, to liberating and granting permission to yourself to take a sabbatical and follow your creative pursuit whole-heartedly. That must have taken a lot of "pattern rewiring." Bravo!
I enjoyed reading how storytelling is your natural gift even at that young age, and how you told stories to soothe you siblings from the anxietiy of the present moment.
I think that financial stability is the prerequisite of being able to take a sabbatical. And I'm glad you have finally persuaded yourself that you are indeed in a secure place to do something purely for yourself and for play. That was a big step!
For me personally, I also wish I could take a break as I'm burnt out from the trauma and depression I experienced in the past two years. But there's no financial security for me, so it remains a luxury and fantasy at this point.
Thank you Louisa for those kind words and for walking hand in hand with me to rewire patterns these past few years. Bravo to us both! Can you imagine that many days I don't even write a to-do list anymore? I know what needs to be done that day, and I know what my heart most wants to do, and I do the heart-led, creative-led thing first (which is to work on my current novel). That truly is some dramatic rewiring!
I wish for you the opportunity to have financial pressure ease so that you one day can give yourself the gift of whatever creative sabbatical you most desire. Keep that fantasy alive!
Indeed, we walked hand in hand in rewiring our old patterns. It’s been no small feat, hasn’t it? Bravo to us! I rejoice for you that you can live a soul and heart-led life. What freedom! What liberation! I certainly hope that one day I can have the financial means to take a sabbatical. Just doing nothing would be such a sweet pleasure :-)
I loved reading about how you played as a child and the way you and your siblings were so imaginative.
And I’m inspired by the way you’re opening up to more play and rest. What a beautiful gift!
While I’ve never taken an official sabbatical, I see how important it can be, particularly for those longing to deepen and expand their creative expression. I’m so excited for you!
I’ve been practicing flow in my days where I’m more tuned into myself and ebb and flow between doing and being, action and play, productivity and rest. It’s more of an art than a science, but I find I’m much more relaxed than ever before. I have a desire to create a life I never feel the need to get away from.
But I can’t deny, there is something so delicious sounding about a month sabbatical. The Big Magic and authentic expression flowing through you! Keep us updated! Xoxo
I am as always so inspired by you, Deb. I loved hearing about how you practice flow in your days, that you have a desire to create a life you never feel the need to get away from. I think for me, the sabbatical is a deepening of the life I am creating for myself—not to get away from it but to give it these times of deeper pause, a new setting or vantage point from which to grow & expand. But I agree cultivating flow each & every day is the ideal.
I've been thinking about sabbaticals since reading this and talking to you. Often in the world, we hear of longer (6 month?) sabbaticals, but you are showing us that 1 month is an option - opening up more people to be able to do this. But then, I wondered if perhaps we all start small. Like you, you've taken mini sabbaticals every time you break away from your work and walk on the beach or dance or light a candle. And then you increase that time.
It made me think about the beauty of expansion - as you expand, you are able to take bigger risks to expand more. So you started with micro-sabbaticals...and now you're considering this 1 month one. Perhaps we can all find what works for us - a minute, an hour, a day, a week...and beyond.
With the intention to take a deeper pause, to deepen our lives, and expand and grow.
I like thinking of it this way :)
This is such a beautiful way to crystallize the message around sabbaticals, thank you Deb for sharing your thoughts around this. It helps me reframe those really "mini sabbaticals" I take every time I as you say walk the beach or light a candle and lie on my mat to do gentle yoga, as I did last night. Yummy! Some moment of refreshment and replenishment is always available to us.
Amy! Loved hearing about your childhood play in play! As you know I took a sabbatical last summer when I cat/house sat in Anchor Point, Alaska. My first priority (after caregiving for the cats) was diving deep into Storytelling through folktale reading and research. It was marvelous to read and read and read, supplied by the bookshelves of Storyteller Ingrid and the Homer Alaska Public Library. ♡
This reading reignited my passion for traditional tales which had taken somewhat of a backseat to other forms of Storytelling.
Each day also included loads of time simply watching the local flora and fauna including the pair of Sandhill Cranes who visited daily.
And then there's the sense of play; whether with the cats or once again dying my now grey bangs pink and dressing up for the Barbie movie and going solo to a local teahouse where I met more vibrant women and then was invited to join them for the movie!
Upon return from Alaska (and the roadtrip across the US & Canada) I thought I'd be, immersing in performance Storytelling again, but as you know my mom required live in caregiving.
I've slowly been making my way back to play. Recently, Storytelling and Theatre for youth found me through a local theatre company: Touchstone Theatre. Ive been invited to be a Teaching Artist for their Young Playwrights Lab and to create a Storytelling Institute! Yes to play!
Yes to Big Magic! Excited for You Amy and all the Play and Big Magic you're inviting in and also inviting us to invite play in too!♡♡♡♡♡
PS. I've take mini sabbatical of 1/2 day or whole day since 2015 inspired by Golden Girl Carol in DC.♡
PPS. Thank you for the Art Date idea! I'm adding that to my exploration and play!♡
I remember talking to you when you were on your Alaska sabbatical and of course hearing your magical storytelling about it; it sounds like it was a wonderful container for story exploration, creation and nature and CATS! I so wish I had been watching "Barbie" with you and that group of women. Congrats on being invited to be a Teaching Artist for the Young Playwrights Lab and to create a Storytelling Institute! That is so awesome! Thank you for the reminder that mini-sabbaticals can also work and that we have the gift of our imaginations to transport us anywhere at any time. You have always inspired me with your playful spirit and heart. I will never forget you on your Big Wheel with your pink streaks in your hair!
Let's play together! I've got bubbles to spare and share🫧🫧🫧🫧
Beautiful and inspiring essay. You’ve inspired me on many levels. I love the idea of using a prompt to have a starting point of writing a post. Ive spun long stories from a prompt and enjoy the spontaneity. You took me back to making up games and rules when I was little. What fun!
Thanks Karina for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on the essay. Prompts can be amazing thought starters, right? As for making up games and rules of the world, that is why I love writing fiction. I'm still that little girl, making up stories, this time for grownups.
Even just reading this feels so expansive, Amy. Perhaps I’ll give Artist’s Dates a try here, in my new home - it’s been years since I read The Artist’s Way; the timing feels right to return to it.
Wishing you a Big Magic Month (or two, or three!) in the near future...and plenty of magical moments before then.
Thank you, Dana, for this comment and I do hope that you give the Artist's Dates a try--can be a wonderful incentive for discovering a new home/new environment. And glad to hear the Artist's Way feels like it might need to be returned to now. I feel that way, too. Appreciate you!
Amy, soooo good! I recently took a sabbatical. It was not planned. And yes to curiosity and play! I put aside time daily for that. Especially enjoy saltwater swims and water dancing. I look at the shadows as dance partners. I used to run from them.
Julia Cameron is wonderful! Enjoy your artist dates. Can’t wait to hear about your discoveries if you decide to share.
Here’s to embracing joy! Be inspired. 💛
Thanks for sharing Constellations. I love hearing about your water dancing and think I need to do that in today's ocean swim. As for seeing shadows as dance partners, I totally agree. These days I am curious about what they have to teach me. I'll certainly be reporting back on my artist dates and sabbatical progress. And glad you had a recent sabbatical; unplanned can be the best kind!
You are welcome! 💦
I always love your essays - continually inspiring and this one really lit me up.
Cheering you on as you jump into your Sabbatical! I say do it.
I love how you speak of letting ideas find their way to you. How when we stay in constructed places of daily commitments/duties we close off that part of our brain. The antenna goes down so we aren’t receptive to all the creation around and within us.
The artists dates are helping me so much with that. Even just 30-45 minutes alone with a new creative toe-dip is stirring things up for me.
Also, reading this did make me nostalgic for my childhood and, honestly, a little sad for my own kids. They have no idea what they are missing - being pulled and lured by devises all day long. Now that my kids are tweens and teens, they are at a social disadvantage if they are away from their phones for too long. I’m trying to have more of an open mind about it (there IS some creative artistry going on with TikTok etc) but I just want them to go hands free outside and roam. Experience the feral childhood that I had. {*sigh* end of rant*} 🙃🙃
Allison, thanks as always for being here and being such a supporter of my work. Glad to hear the Artist Dates are giving you those "creative toe-dips." I start officially with the 12-week Artist Way program next week and luckily, I have a business trip planned to Washington DC next week, with extra time built in for a visit to one or more of my favorite Smithsonian museums, so I will have a wonderful artist date there. I also understand your nostalgia for our device-less childhoods and how we had the gift of relying on our imaginations and "free play." Johann Hari in his book Stolen Focus has a great section in there about the loss of independent play for today's children and it really struck me how sad this is. And yet, I know what you mean in that your children can be socially disadvantaged when they go against the stream. But I see how you engage your daughter in the painting of the birdhouses and I know what a committed and thoughtful mom you are, so I've no doubt you'll continue to find ways to spur them to put down the devices and go exploring with you. It is one aspect of the Jewish Sabbath tradition I like. On Friday nights there can be no electronic devices, and for strictly observant families, not even electric lights. Families light candles, have a delicious meal, gather to talk, to play board games or cards. I did not grow up in that kind of religious Jewish household but I've often thought what a wonderful tradition it is. I think you don't have to be Jewish to adopt a "family evening" where devices get put away and TV stays off. Food for thought, right?
Yes, absolutely food for thought! Just yesterday I mentioned to my husband that we ought to sit the kids down and the four of us have a "state of the union" (lol) as to how we want the rest of summer to go. Carve deliberate time for us to check in with one another as a family, no devices, work, distractions, etc. I live in a town that has a considerable number of Jewish families and am friendly with many of them. I have felt quite envious of the ritualistic Sabbath tradition. I know what you mean.
Oh, and I didn't even mention in my initial comment that I, too, just the other day, got to marvel over a turtle laying her eggs. She one was outside my front porch, in the grass next to our steps (a box turtle). I watched from my doorway window as she diligently worked at digging that hole with her back legs (2 hours she was out there!)
Just another synchronicity between you and me, my kindred friend! xoxo
Enjoy DC!!!
"State of the union": that's great! I hope your kids are receptive to the suggestion. And so cool you got to see your box turtle lay its eggs. That patience and dedication! There's a lesson in there, for us.
I love this idea of a sabbatical, as well as the wise words from Elizabeth Gilbert about letting the magic slip through. This has decidedly not been a year of magic for me, but maybe after I get through this big project (co-founding a book festival, which is great, but has taken over my life this year) I can do that.
Wow! Co-founding a book festival is a big deal, Sarah! You’ll certainly be deserving of a sabbatical after that. My friend Catherine Pettersson, an American in Stockholm, started The Stockholm Writers Festival from scratch & it’s become hugely successful, for English language writers in Sweden & all over Europe. I would be glad to put you in touch if you think that would be helpful. Best of luck!
Thank you, Amy! I’ll look up the Stockholm Writers Festival and let you know!
Amy:
What a gorgeous story of childhood love and joy. Loved it!
Thank you April!
So much great food for thought here, Amy. Last November I sustained a brain injury, and for awhile I was banned from most of my usual activities. I did a lot of coloring! And cookie making! And napping! I really kinda loved my toddler lifestyle. It brought me back to writing, and I started my Substack in the wake of it. It's stalled in the face of things I just have to tend to, but now I know what can come out of the kind of sabbatical you describe. I hope you'll give yourself that time if it's available to you!
Rita, first, I am sorry to hear about the brain injury but I am glad to hear about the silver lining--the toddler playtime activities you revived and most importantly, you came back to your writing and shared it here on Substack. Yay! Thanks for your encouragement. I know I will find my path toward my Big Magic month/year/many, many magical moments. Not sure yet what it will look like but I am excited to find out.
I love this, Amanda! You are on a beautiful path!
I took a sabbatical at 30 and it surprised me in so many ways. I found love at a time when I’d lost faith in it, lost and gained friendships, and reawakened my inner child with long hikes in strange landscapes and countless hours in museums. I ended up exactly where I’d wanted to be when I left, but my journey took twists and turns I could never have planned. Above all I learned I have so much work to do within myself and that was the most valuable lesson. Highly recommend to anyone to do a sabbatical at some point.
What a beautiful and wise reflection my daughter; I have seen all these changes in you since your sabbatical and it continues to inspire me. Can’t wait to have our mini-sabbatical together this September walking the Camino💗
A sabbatical? What??!! YES!!!! This inspires me so much to keep PLAY at the heart of everything….even the serious things because, why not?!
It’s such a joy to be a passenger just following along with you discovery after discovery. I love the way you write, Amy ❤️
Thanks Deb and I am so glad I inspired you! Yes, as adults we need constant reminders to keep playing. When a dear friend came to visit last summer, she took my hand and started SKIPPING along the beach and with delight I skipped along with her, just the way I did as a child. It filled my heart so.
I love that! I eel the same when I swing 🤗
This sounds awesome, hon - YAY! I'm cheering you on and Look forward to hearing about your Big Magic Sabbatical.
While the majority of my time is caregiving (and I know you know how all-encompassing that can be), in respite times, I dedicate time to doing something different/creative to free my brain and check in with the curious, learning part of my brain. Giving permission and allocating this time is SO important these days. Often it involves seeing an art exhibition or live music (with a mask!) to stimulate my dancing brain cells ;-) This sustains my need to keep evolving....for now ;-) Phew for finding and starting Carer Mentor on Substack when I did!! ;-)
Victoria, I am so glad that you give yourself permission to be creative in ways that fill you up and replenish you, which is especially important as a caregiver. I too love art exhibits and live music. And the love and attention you put into Carer Mentor shows--and I hope that is as restorative to you as it is to others.
Aww thanks, Amy! Yes, Carer Mentor keeps my little brain cells dancing and the creative (passionate) fire in my belly burning!
Ohhh let me know if you come over to the UK ;-)
I’ve chosen to take a mini sabbatical this weekend when I close my office for the day but I’m actually at home. It sounds like no big deal but in almost 30 years I’ve only done it once. If we are here we work! Sheesh, what’s up with that? (jk, I know what’s up with that!)
Your excellent essay made me pause to consider what I used to do as a child. I LOVE your fortune telling adventures! Mostly I would read, write and color which got me thinking about what I do now.
The ideal of unstructured time has come to be the holy grail and your essay allowed me to see the glimpse of possibilities, thank you Amy.
That's fantastic, Donna! I also work from home and it takes such resolve to be at home, close to our office space, and NOT WORK. Perhaps it's time to start coloring again? Or some none-writing creative pursuit. I often think about that. I've got sketch pads and colored markers and crayons but don't often allow myself to just doodle. I know that Elizabeth Gilbert does that with her Letters to Love journals. I think any activity that is creative but takes us out of our analytical brains is a form of play we need to nurture. Hope you find some unstructured time to just BE this weekend, Donna. Happy mini sabbatical! Let us know how it went.
Thanks!