Ponder: on writing

I've become self-employed, writing basically press releases and other short articles for a Communications organization. It's a day's work more than what I've been used to--if it gets really hectic, otherwise it can be as much as only a day's work in a week. I'm savouring the flexibility with my time, already a prize in itself. 

It's been painful at the beginning, being rusty. I haven't been writing as a paid job for more than 8 years. I can't regret not taking up this kind of work much earlier because the opportunities just weren't there, and my circumstances were very different. Not much different than today actually, except that my sons are much older: one can be left home alone, but still not old enough to be responsible for a seven year old.

I also have no ambitions about my writing. At this point, I am not driven to be published. I accept this.

Am I just getting older? More world weary?

I am simply too tired. I think this is the most psychologically demanding age of parenting/motherhood--entailing a lot of nervous energy and the stamina to keep up physically with the demands of keeping house and whatnot. This year has been a major adjustment living with a teenage first born. My middle child is lumbering into teendom in the next couple of years, and by the time my youngest hits 16 years (the most difficult age, I hear), I'll be in my 50s.

And to think, Mr. Nest and I are often going with the flow. I wonder how some parents fare--those Type A parents who have not only mapped out everything down to the details of learning and domestic life, but also have the wherewithal to sit down doing the homework, reading, crafting, etc. We're the type who enter the house, drop our heavy bags and just yell out that they should do what schoolwork they need to do. It's great because then you get surprised by life.

One such surprise is good writing in the family. Someone else has been very, very busy, apart from voraciously reading. He's moving on from reading the Harry Potter set for the 4th time, to Machiavelli's writings (?!).

We're quite chuffed that this boy has topped a story writing exam in school. He's entered one writing competition, but he really didn't want to. He said he wants to write on his own terms. With me talking like this (above), who am I to talk to him about writing?

(Scroll down to the bottom for the typed and unedited version--as in the first photo--of the storywriting exam)