Every writer needs an editor and a photographer a filter... hitting home for a minute

I am an individual with a creative streak that is a mile wide. I love to write, I love to photograph, I love to draw, I love to sing, and I love to decorate.

Sounds great, right? 

It is, except for with so many variations of creativity it can be quite distracting. The different pulls on my creativity can be so distracting that I may not put forth my best on any one area. That is when there is a problem.

I have become tied up in the berating myself here lately. See, I know I can do better when the conditions are right. The problem being that the conditions are not perfect and my full expectations are not met. I am distracted.

I have learned over the years how to control my quirks so that hardly anybody will notice them. Unfortunately, here lately I have been overwhelmed. The manifestation on my mind causes me to not be able to focus.

This lack of focus can be rather interesting. For the typical person, if they are unable to focus, they may forget their keys or a grocery list. For me, it is much different. When I lose my focus, I start with forgetting where I have placed things but then it gets worse. I get grouchy and moody, depending on what the causes of my lack of focus are. Then, when I know I have to step back and take some time off, I lose my filter. Not everybody understands that term. What is a filter?

In this instance, a filter is a gatekeeper or a channel that keeps the thinking before speaking in check. When the filter shuts down, I speak before I think but I also lose the ability to see where what I say can be received harshly. The basic social aspect of communication goes out the window.

Another side effect of my lack of focus is I become oddly sensitive. Say I was to say something that was harsh and the person I said it to complained about it to somebody else. This situation would wound me. The reason? Because when I am overwhelmed, I only allow certain people around me for more than pleasantries. This is because I expect those I allow in to understand me.

Man, I realize this looks like a rather selfish post. Sorry about that. I just feel the need to explain things. In order to do so, I have to talk about me. Anyhow, about writing and photography.

With my writing... my inner editor continually second-guesses what I write and I have been unable to complete a manuscript in two years. That takes a toll. Sure, I was making excuses, like having academic papers and research papers to write while working on various projects with church and school. (I am not saying these projects were not worth doing, they just took away from my desires.) I need to be able to focus. There is a story that has been evolving in my head for years and I need to get it written.

With my photography... I am eagerly waiting for the person that I can collaborate with and we can have an amazing photo shoot. Although I look forward to working with everybody. I feel the work I have done is lacking mostly because I am facing challenges that I knew would be there if I were to pursue photography as a career. I have been burned in a couple instances and regret the way things turned out. I am still taking pictures and want to enjoy working with individuals that want their portraits taken. I know I have the skill and ability; I need to work on my marketing.

Life in general. I have forgotten that I do not have to do it all. I also forgot whom I need to please and what it is that I am suppose to be doing. 

I am primarily a writer. I need a part time job with deadlines. I am pursuing my Masters and will be working (still waiting on confirmation) at the school this fall. I would love to have photo-sessions once or twice a month to boost an income. 

Have you ever gotten lost in the chaos around you? That is where I have been. We have had crazy personal stuff go on and instead of looking to the almighty Father; I have tried to fix it myself. This of course leads to being overwhelmed and stressed. (Which I am prone to anyway.) This however is not what God wants for us. 

God wants us to be happy. He wants us to have His strength. All we have to do is call out to Him.

Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. - Psalm 28:6-7 (NKJV)

Mothers should educate their daughters about gender equality

Empowering a child can be a tricky thing. As moms, we want our children to be strong and assured of who they are, but we do not want them to make mistakes or to face problems that we may have had to deal with when we were growing up.

While raising three daughters, my husband and I have walked a tightrope, per se, to teach our girls to be strong and persistent without being bullheaded and careless. Our priority is that our daughters are strong as individuals.

Part of making sure that our daughters are strong is making sure they know who they are in God. Our faith is very much a part of who we are and a large part in how we have taught our daughters that we are all equal. Each and every one of us, black, white, yellow, red, brown, male, female, what have you, is equal. Part of being equal means that they should not ever allow anybody to disrespect them.

Our girls hold on to stories of Jesus talking to Mary and Martha freely along with the other disciples, as well as Queen Esther, who saved the Jewish people by having the courage to speak up.

Being honest and upfront with our girls allows us to use everyday examples with them as they grow and mature. As life events occur we teach them how to handle it so they know what they should expect and how they, as young women, should be treated.

One television show our daughters enjoy watching that puts women on an equal footing with men and allows them to share the spotlight with the main character is “Doctor Who”. The show is on BBC and shows equality better than any others I have seen, whether it is Donna Noble giving the tenth doctor the what for, River Song confusing everybody, or Sarah Jane, who went on to be in her own show. All three women are good examples of strong, independent women that oftentimes upstage the men in the story line.

“Doctor Who” is not the first television show to have a positive girl-power message for my daughters. When they were younger, they loved to watch “Sailor Moon,” which features female action heroes. There were five main characters with five very different personalities and different interests that became friends simply because they were teamed up to fight evil.

In using the show when they were younger, we were able to point out the traits that were good in the characters. My oldest daughter loved Sailor Venus, who was all about performing, and who also happened to be the top crime fighter in London. The middle daughter loved Sailor Mercury, who was shy, timid and a genius. Then the youngest was obsessed with Sailor MiniMoon/ChibiUsa, who was simply determined to do what she set her mind to do. Each of the characters that the girls related to had a characteristic that they themselves had while also showing independence.

It helps to have examples that kids can relate to while they come up and are molded into their best. There are women that my girls have learned about who show them they can be anything they want to be, regardless of whether that job is a stay-at-home mom, a career woman or even president of the United States.

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This article was originally published in The All State Newspaper, the Student Voice of Austin Peay State University since 1930 in the March 27th edition. And as an online grouping on March 28th.