Day 5

"But, in yourself, you said that you would write...and for once it would be written by someone who knew what he was writing of.  But he would never do it, because each day of not writing, or comfort, of being that which he despised, dulled his ability and softened his will to work so that, finally, he did no work at all."

--The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Ernest Hemingway

I read this and thought how appropriate I should come across these words at a time like this.  I have experienced that softened will, and to the point of doing no work at all.  I can't say how many times I've uttered the phrase, "The kids are home so I can't concentrate enough to write." How often I've thought, I should probably go exercise, but it's going to rain so I might as well finish watching this show...How frequently I wanted to start or finish a project but the comfort of procrastination held me captive (after all if you don't try you don't fail).

So I realize now that I am that character Mr. Hemingway so astutely wrote about.  And he underscores for me the reality that delaying, or excuses, or TV watching, all lead to the same thing: no work being done.