FOUR DAYS A WEEK. At Our Fingertips. An Unexpected Place.

TRAVELING WITH MELISSA SAWATSKY, going with the ebb and flow. It is an honor to present Melissa, a writer and poet I met last summer on the Writing Immersion Retreat in Tuscany, and her wonderful post, In The Meantime (originally posted at her blog on August 16, 2011). Thank you, Melissa, for guiding us through the currents, for taking us to a rare place. Thanks so much for joining us here next week on February 6, 2012 for a conversation about your writing and dreams. -Mia


IN THE MEANTIME
by Melissa Sawatsky

I am on a ferry boat, metaphorically speaking. The comfort of an established routine has been replaced by a propulsion of instability. I have maps, guidebooks, a vague idea of my destination, and short term plans for food and shelter. Beyond that, I'm a traveller in this transition period.

If there's one thing I know about traveling in unfamiliar territory—literally and metaphorically—it's that spontaneity and open-mindedness are just as (if not more) important than preparation and planning. If you fill up every hour of the day with a logistical plan of where to be at what time, you might miss the afternoon street dance battle between a group of young men in London, or the slide show of photos projected against the side of a building at dusk in Berlin. You would miss the alchemy of spontaneous assembly in the service of creativity, a cause, or some form of festivity. The popularity of flash mobs, and the various forms in which they come, is a testament to our need to stir up the daily monotony of our lives.

Being in transition is both uncomfortable and liberating. Part of me needs something I can count on—a routine to assist in the business of organizing and maximizing my time. On the other hand, it's been awhile since I've been so attuned to the world around me. I'm inundated with imaginary scenes of the future that lies ahead of me. Although I'm in a bit of a pickle financially, I have found a healthy perspective on the ebb and flow of wealth (beyond money) and the laws of giving and receiving.

When this ferry finally docks, I will see the destination in 3D. I will disembark and use my maps to guide me. At some point, no doubt, my navigational abilities will fail me. I may sustain some injuries, but instinct and intuition will steer me clear of cliff drops.

In the meantime, I pay close attention to life in suspension. What a rare place to be.

-Melissa

✶ MELISSA SAWATSKY'S work has appeared in OCW Magazine, Quills, Sad Mag, and Rhubarb, among others. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is currently working on her first book of poetry, a collection of short fiction, and a screenplay for an animated feature. Melissa is an Editor at Evolved Publishing and facilitates a creative writing program for teen girls called "Hot Ink." She spends much of her time in libraries (having worked at several), and worships the art of dance (call her a professional audience member and an amateur dancer). ✶

✶ JOIN US here next week on February 6, 2012 for a conversation with Melissa, and more great photos from her travels and journey into writing. Prepare to be inspired. ✶ 

✶ PHOTOS AND MEMORIES from a special Writing Immersion Retreat in Tuscany, where Melissa and Mia met last summer. ✶

_✶A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily and
The Becoming Daily. January 2012.✶