Graffiti Mexico City

I am coming up on the second anniversary of writing VSVEVG. It’s prompted me to consider why I started this blog and why I continue to write it. The explanation on my about page is accurate but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

I am a writer and I write this blog to get my words to people. I decided to write about my life because it’s a little out of the ordinary ,and I figured the last thing we needed was another blog about writing. But I do read a lot of blogs about writing.

Writers often write about how hard the artist’s life is. The trials of solitude, the sacrifices that must be made to maintain a consistent practice, the self-doubt…there’s a big list. Certainly I won’t disagree it’s hard to write well, and I am well familiar with the isolation and the insecurities inherent, and I believe necessary for an artist’s life.

But when I read about how difficult the artist’s path is I think of the time in my life I was constantly anxious because I hadn’t yet connected to my true self, the one who sits down every day and grapples with ideas and beliefs and tries to share them with the world through words. This person. The one willing to live without comforts to have the time to step into that flow– that contest every day.  

The truth is, if you are a person who lives with this burning, inescapable quest in your gut (Confucius believed the mind resided in the belly) then you are one of the lucky ones.  Because we know our purpose and that it has meaning– like we know the lines of our own face.  This is a gift in a world of triviality and distraction, regardless of the hardships.

VSVEVG has rewarded me greatly. I am a far better writer from meeting its demands. I’ve made friends I’ll have for a lifetime, gained patrons, received support from strangers I may never hear from again. It’s miraculous to me, really.

I’m not sure what direction VSVEVG will take in its third year. There will still be poetry, stories of La Tigra, Felipe updates, recitation and the recipes I’ve promised, but perhaps with a new bent.  I’m still mulling it over. What do I know is, I’ll be here, tapping out my truth, grateful to you for reading, commenting, liking and sharing.

Happy anniversary VSVEVG.  Many thanks to WordPress for making it all possible.