Leaving the Everyday World Behind

I feel so fortunate to know that no matter where I go or what I'm doing, I have the option to escape for a few moments into the world of Heaven's Wait. Since this magical world is of my own creation, I am free to travel to that corner of my mind whenever I please. What a luxury that is! While cooking dinner, pulling weeds, riding in a car, or taking a walk, I can pop into Heaven's Wait for a few minutes to concoct a new scene for a story, rethink the path of a character, create a new melody for a relevant moment, or invent a new oddball plant to throw into the animated landscape. Since I usually have my laptop attached to my hip, I can dive into my unearthly world during my lunch hour at work, when I'm on vacation, while my mom naps during the Thursdays I spend with her, or whenever I just need some time to myself.

Escaping into the world of creativity has proven to be so good for my soul. But it is because I approached my Heaven's Wait project with that intention in mind. The Tales from Vowella series was never about finding a new career for myself or landing a book contract. It was about finding a way to satisfy my creative urges while perhaps making some kind of difference in the universe during the process. So I make a point to keep my project at a stress-free level as much as possible, and I make sure that I am enjoying the process more than the end result.

A former elementary school classmate of mine recently told me that at this point in his life, he finds himself spending 85% of his time looking back and 15% of his time looking forward. My first inclination is to say that I do the opposite, by spending 85% of my time looking forward. But as I take a closer look at myself, I find that I spend most of my time in the present, taking care of tasks at hand, paying as much attention as I can to "life", which presents us with something new on a continuous basis, and then consciously stepping into the world of Heaven's Wait to see what new adventures await me.

I think all of us have a Heaven's Wait within us. You may go there with a camera, a golf club, a musical instrument or a paintbrush. You may go there when you spend time with a child, drive a racecar, dance to your favorites song, watch a movie, or perform a random act of kindness. I hope all of you have found ways to consciously leave the everyday world behind you for at least a few moments each day, and that you are living a more fulfilled life because you have chosen to travel such a path.