I Can

The post I put up Monday was insecure. Today, for Insecure Writers Support Group...

In this world there seem to be a lot of things to feel insecure about. Politically, socially, economically, spiritually. Is Writingly a word? :)

I worry about the world (which I can't affect) and what other people are doing to themselves (which I also can't affect) and I somehow forget about all the things that I can.

I can choose to get up in the morning. I forget I can choose whether or not to let the sun into my writing cave. I forget that there are people around me who want the best for me, even if they're not interested in my writing.

I can't affect that.

I can determine what goes into my writing. I can't tell the computer not to freeze. Well, not directly anyway (having fifteen spreadsheets, five documents and three browser windows open at once and then trying to watch a movie MIGHT make a difference there). I can't change the laws of physics.

But in my head, in my writing, I can.

I've been told that the trick to happiness is to narrow your "circle of concern" down to match your "circle of influence," but I'm afraid I go in the other direction. Through the things I can do, ignoring or working on the things I can't, I want to slowly expand my circle of influence. Some things I can do. Some things I will learn to do. And some things will remain forever out of my reach.

So today is for I Can. I Can write. I Can go out and play in the snow. I Can open the curtains and enjoy the day. I Can edit. I Can walk, and run, and laugh. I Can choose to walk away from it for a day, but I don't want to.

I Can't jump on a spaceship and fly to Andromeda (where they theoretically don't have the same list of can'ts) but on paper I CAN.

I like my Cans better than my Can'ts at the moment.

Even if it's just a Can of tomato soup for lunch.

What are some of your "Cans?"