This week I celebrated my 50th birthday by attending a three day writing retreat. I treated myself to two extra days on the site.
Everyone just left but one woman who is staying an extra day and my roommate, who is also staying the two extra days.
Turning 50 didn’t really make that much difference to me. However, I had some writing projects I wanted to finish, and the idea of going away to finish them seemed efficient and enticing.
It also seemed a great way to affirm a few things to myself and to the world at large. It affirmed that I was worth spending time alone with. It affirmed that my writing was important—to me and in general. (This was important for my family to understand as well.) It affirmed that I was a writer. (You would think I would know this after all these years, but sometimes we need to restate what we know.) And it affirmed that if I put my mind to getting some writing done—if I set writing goals—I could meet them.
I’d never been on a writing retreat before; I’ve been writing since my early childhood years. Going away for the express purpose of only writing seemed exciting and daunting. The first few days I had the distraction of 24 writers and social time. Now, it’s time for some serious writing, contemplation, meditation…and more writing.
What do you want to affirm to yourself? What have you not done before that you want to do?
