One tidbit of information that has always stayed with me from physics class is Newton's First Law of Motion: An object at rest tends to stay at rest. (And no, I'm not just repeating the commercial for arthritis medication.) A day spent "resting" often results in an ever-deepening vortex of lethargy and apathy. But a day that starts with a short stroll can lead to a brisk walk and productive hours of yard work. A brief and boring journal entry can yield fresh revisions or pages of new material. An object - or a mind - in motion tends to stay in motion.
But I have to also believe that one's supply of personal energy is limited. Each year at this time I'm tasked with cobbling together the one-act play at the school where I work. This comes on top of the everyday creative energy required for teaching. Right now I feel like all my creative energy is being channeled to these endeavors, and there's none left for writing.
Maybe it doesn't matter which is true, and maybe both are true. In any case, the writing is occasionally being put on hold for a bit, as my responsibility right now is to my students. The important thing is to be challenged, and I certainly am that.
