In this year, in this chaos, it is more important than ever that you create.
I know it’s hard. I know it’s scary. I know everything from doubts (“Can I really do this?”) to fears (“Will they come after me if I tell the truth?”) can trip you up, slow you down, compress you tighter than Saran-wrap and keep you from breathing.
It’s also the most important thing you can do right now.
Why Create?
When you create, you push the darkness back just a little.
When you create, you give people the gift of seeing through someone else’s eyes. That means empathy. That means breaking down stereotypes.
When you create, you present hope because you remind people the dark time isn’t the end of the story.
When you create, you remind people that while the good guys don’t live forever, neither do the bad ones. You remind people to keep going and look ahead to future generations.
When you create, you give people clarity and you give people hope.
Your Story Matters
I know the temptation is to think your creation isn’t that important. You’re not Stephen King or Toni Morrison. But you know what? They’re not you, either.
What you have to share is only yours.
The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.
—Neil Gaiman
Yes. Your story matters. Even if only a few people read it, it matters.
Write. Paint. Create. Don’t let the darkness of this world stop you. Every time you pick up the pen, you’re pushing it back a little more.
