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Standing on the Sidewalk
This week, there was a fire in my apartment building.
Everyone is okay, and I want to say that first. The fire was small, one floor up and one apartment over. But when the alarms went off, none of us knew that yet. I grabbed my dog's leash and headed outside, and that's where we stayed for two and a half hours.
If you've ever stood outside your own home with no idea what's happening inside it, you know the strange kind of waiting I mean. There was nothing to do. Nothing to fix. Just me, my dog, the sidewalk, and a building full of questions, oh, and lots of nosy neighbors.
When we were finally allowed back in, here's what I found: a little water on the floor along the wall I share with my neighbor. That was it.
My neighbor wasn't so lucky. The fire wasn't in their apartment, it was above it, but the water used to put it out came straight down, and their home was destroyed. They spent the rest of the week cleaning out and moving to another unit in the comples.
I keep thinking about that. One event. Three homes. I, separated by just one wall, walked back into a mostly normal evening.
Life is like that, isn't it? We like to believe we can map out what will happen to us based on how close we are to the trouble. But change doesn't follow a floor plan. It seeps in sideways. It lands where we least expect it, and sometimes it skips us entirely while hitting the person right next door.
In Life Drafting, I call that waiting time on the sidewalk the space between drafts. It's the stretch when the old version of things is on hold and the new version hasn't been written yet. We don't get to know the outcome. We just have to stand there and wait.
And when we do walk back in? Some of us find a small edit. Some of us find a page that needs a complete rewrite. Most of us, at some point, will experience both. Neither one means we did something wrong. It just means the story kept moving, the way stories do.
The good news, and I believe this down to my bones, is that there is no final copy. Whatever you walk back into, you get to keep writing.
Journal Prompts
What in my life feels uncertain right now?
What part of my current chapter feels most unfinished?
Where am I waiting for something to be decided, either by me or for me?
How do I usually respond when plans fall apart: freeze, fix, flee, or something else?
What did I learn growing up about handling the unexpected? Does that still serve me?
When something changes suddenly, what's the first story I tell myself about it?
Affirmations
I can handle what I can't predict.
Not knowing is not the same as not being okay.
I am steadier than I feel right now.
I don't need certainty to take the next step.
Retreat Announcement:
OK . . . here it is!! I have created the landing page and registration form for the Draft Your 2027 with Pencil and Purpose retreat. And yes, it's FREE for members! With that said, I would like to grow the group, so please feel free to share with anyone who could benefit. HERE is the link. Please register if you are able to attend. You will not receive a bill, but feel free to agree to the terms, etc.
Office Hours: October Office Hours are on Thursday October 22. This is for Editor's Circle Coaching Members as well as any Guided Revision Coaching Members who would like to touch base between scheduled coaching appointments. HERE is the link to schedule a 30-minute slot
The Weekly Draft: happens every Sunday evening at 7pm at this link. Come prepared to reflect on the past week and draft the upcoming week. It is meant to be a heads down, co-planning time, with me being available to share strategies and/or answer questions. Join me HERE
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