Southern writer, Eudora Welty, said:
“I am a writer who came of a sheltered life. A sheltered life can be a daring life as well. For all serious daring starts from within.”
Those of you who know me at all can guess why I would love this quote. No, it’s not because I have led a sheltered life, although I’d like to try that sometime.:) But I truly believe that daring starts from within. I believe in inner journeys.
Not only was I a psychotherapist in private practice for a bunch of years, but I also did dream work with a Jungian analyst for a decade, so I very much believe in having an inner journey, as well as an outer one.
Inner journeys are perhaps the most daring of all because we get to know ourselves, warts and all, so to speak. But we also discover the gold in our psyches, the treasures within.
Today, I continue to study my dreams because of the richness often found there. A couple of books I’ve written — The Secret Sense of Wildflower (southern historical fiction) and Quentin and the Cave Boy (a comic novel for kids of all ages)– came to me after dreams. So yes, I believe that serious daring starts from within.
Yet sometimes I surprise myself with how outwardly daring I can be, too. I write books, after all, which is a revolutionary thing to do in a world where people are often too busy to read. Not only do I write the books, but I also rewrite and revise until I’ve put my best effort into them, often for years. Then I do my solid best to get them out into the world.
Am I daring? Yes, some of the time I am. Considering how much sleep I lose whenever something new comes out with my name on it, I think I can be very brave. But there’s always room for more serious daring.
What about you? How do you live a seriously daring life? I don’t think it’s only about writing or other creative endeavors.
Sometimes simply getting out of bed is a daring thing to do.
The world can be a scary place, after all, or at the very least, a complicated place. Perhaps a daring life is asking yourself:
What is your heart’s desire? What does your soul need?
To sit under a tree? 
Walk by a river?
Have a good cry?
Spend time with a dear friend?
Write a poem?
Find a literary agent for that novel you’ve written?
Whatever it is, let’s do some serious daring today!
What would be daring for you? Please leave a comment with your answer or other thoughts! I’d love to hear what you think.
P.S. Here’s another post where I talk about Eudora Welty’s garden.
P.P.S. If I have the courage, next week I’m going to do some serious daring here on my blog and release an excerpt of a recent interview where I answer the question: what is your heart’s desire? Stay tuned!
LOVE the Eudora Welty quote. Didn’t know it. Working on being daring…
From Linked-In Fiction Writers Guild. Do you think writers need to have strong inner lives?:
Yeah, I think writers having inner lives is good but I think strong outer lives are also important. Sitting in the house writing doesn’t necessarily give you a lot of inspiration or material. (Waves hand from living room couch, where I spend entirely too much time.) =)
Hi Barbara,
It’s a good quote, isn’t it? I hadn’t heard it either. I am constantly working on being daring. It’s hard work, but it may be the only way to go!
It is always great to hear from you.:)
Hi Sarah,
I hear you, Sarah, and I agree with you. Balance is the way to go, I think, otherwise our writing may be become quite dull. Thanks for commenting!
> Find a literary agent for that novel you’ve written?
Susan, why was that line in a larger font that the rest of the post? 🙂 Subliminal slip?
It did call out to me.
And that’s where you’ll find me.
I am not aware of the need for a strong inner life, only a desire to write and something to write about. By the way, E. Welty once commented on those who would reduce HER writing to its “Elements” in the way all too many English teachers did and still do; Ms. Welty came right out and stated that she wasn’t THINKING of any elements when she wrote it!!!!! Rules, regulations, how one SHOULD write and what NOT To do….well, now, I choose to ignore THAT all the time, and when I simply WRITE, I feel much more free and productive. I can always REVISE later. No need to lock my writing in a box before it’s had a chance to air itself out!!!
I hear you, J. There are too many “should”s in our world as it is. Writing is a process. Trust the process!
Thanks for commenting!
That one was for you, John. And I actually have no idea why that font is bigger than the rest other than I added it later. I support you 100% in taking the next step.
I like to think of the “inner life” as what some might call their “imagination”. And, if you think of it in that context…a strong “inner life” is essential. Because, on a limitless plane such as that, in spite of what might be a ‘mundane’ or ‘stagnant’ outer life, my “inner life” can always inspire me to create new stories. I’ve never been so daring outside as I have been inside…and those experiences have helped cultivate so many lines of thought that have created so many wonderful stories!
I love your answer, Carrie. We may be kindred spirits. Keep writing!