No Service -- Don't Give Up

In long story short, I got to go to a writing workshop this past week. I had this long internal battle about whether or not to go for like six months. My mind and body were like "You can't do this." But I watched past workshop videos and looked at pictures. I wanted to grow as a person and as a writer. So I decided to go. Then when I got there, I wanted to go home. The first couple days were interesting. I had never experienced such a tight knit group of like-minded (but still very unique) individuals. To be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed and just wanted to stay in my room. But I got out a little more. I met a few wonderful people and I loved the speakers and critique groups.

But instead of writing about writing, or writing about the workshop, I'm going to spew something else I learned there with you guys that has something to do with life and not just with writing.

Don't Give Up

It sounds simple, doesn't it? Don't give in to the depression. Don't give into the hopelessness of this world. Don't let other people control your life. It's easy to tell others to not give up. It's easy to look at someone and tell them they're going to be alright, while inside you're dying. It's easy to force a smile and look the person sitting across from you in the eyes and say, "Yeah, I'm doing great." While in all reality, every single one of us is dying some way inside. We feel like nothing is ever going to be okay. We feel like the world around us crumbles into pieces and there's no fixing it.

But there is.

Living in the west, there's a lot of open space filled with nothing. Cell service is scarce unless you're in a town and even then, it can sometimes be sketchy. "No Service" shows up in the corner of my phone a lot, and it gets frustrating.

Think of your life like a bunch of open space. As you're going through life and building up an empire of people you've met and places you've been, realize there's going to be places of "no service". There's going to be desolate spots where you feel like you're never going to get out of the valley; that there isn't any hope left. You're going to want to give up. Don't. Because if you keep pushing forward, the signal will come back. The hope with be a star shining star against the pitch black sky.

I think I got a taste of hope this past week. I don't regret going to Kansas and getting completely out of my comfort zone. The people at the workshop would tell others not to give up. That it was going to be okay. So your novel isn't working out right now. Keep pushing forward. Your art isn't where you wanted it to be, or your goals are falling through. Don't give up. Keep pushing forward. There's always hope after the storms.

So I guess I just wanted to say something. I just wanted to shine a bit of God's love out there on some of you who are having a hard time with life. Right now, it might not be okay. I'm not telling you it will always be okay. But don't give up. Jesus never gives up on us. Don't lose sight of hope.