Tag: creative process
-
On Ecclesiastes and Pushing Back
What if I told you that all your efforts amounted to no more than a mere breath? And not even to a deep and life-giving breath, but only the weak vapor of an exhale? Hevel – breath. It’s the Hebrew word the King James Bible translates as “vanity.” More recently, Robert Alter has translated it as “mere breath,” like…
-
Vomit Drafts: On the Value of Low-Quality Work
Do you resist doing things badly? I do. I strongly dislike the idea of producing low-quality work. (Can you tell I’m a recovering perfectionist?) I take all sorts of steps to avoid creating anything I might consider even remotely inaccurate, unaesthetic, tedious, or of an otherwise unhelpful quality. This approach, of course, can introduce its…
-
Present Help: On Thinking of God at an Angle
What do you hold onto? Where do you land when you fall? I’ve noticed more and more how images of God’s presence that once spoke to me will empty out over time. New ways of thinking and feeling take their place. Even the most meaningful language can wear out with use, after all, and we…
-
Mourning, Longing, and Other Sacred Acts
What happens inside as you mourn? Where does mourning take you? I’m guessing a lot of us have much, much more familiarity with mourning since 2020. We’ve lost things. We’ve lost people. As I, myself, have mourned, I’ve felt longing winding itself through that sense of loss. I long for people, I long for ways…
-
Prayer on Waking and Trying Something New
Do you enjoy trying new things? I do, and I don’t. I do enjoy the mix of experiences, personalities, and perspectives that new things can bring. I enjoy learning and surprises. I enjoy finding unexpected beauty and encountering the world in new ways. Sometimes, though, I don’t enjoy the vulnerability of immersing myself in things…
About the author
Callie J. Smith writes about women who, like her, are finding themselves. Her essays and cozy fiction (contemporary and fantasy) explore everyday things like hope, creativity, and grief.
Shop the Gift Collection
Callie J. Smith 