The Sojourney of an Author

(Yes. I know 'sojourney' isn't a word, but I like it all the same. It is a blended word. A mesh between 'journey' and 'sojourn', leaning more towards a Gnostic definition, closer to a returning to one's forgotten origins or home).

Losing my job had been a blessing in disguise on so many levels. It has been an adventure, a wake-up call, an awakening - but one unexpected and surprising!

Unbeknown to me, I had exited an unhealthy and potentially hostile and toxic environment and entered into something surprisingly full of life and touched upon an eternal element of humanity. The last two and a half months has allowed me to focus more intently on my writing and promoting my books, events, book signings, a radio interview, etc. (with another one in the works!)

I have drank more small-named beers, glasses of wine, consumed more local street foods, spend more time with my children, gone for more early morning walks with my wife, done more barbecues, taken up yoga, practiced meditation for its own purpose (rather than to clear and 'protect' oneself from external toxicity), met more people at events and book signings and hugged many, many people - both men & women - and have conversed with so many inspiring and uplifting individuals.

It may sound silly that I should have found so much life in the midst of what many might consider a dark time. I have discovered a secret through my writing. I had stumbled across what I am now believing may be an eternal truth.

Through my writing and meeting with people I had touched upon something larger than any individual person could ever be. Two years ago when I began this adventure with my first self-published book, The Symbiot, I had imagined this would be some sort of personal and private journey. This was less of a journey and more of a sojourney – a returning to something I had long since forgotten.

Whatever the artist's medium – music, paint, words – it is a mistake to describe the Artist as 'creative'. Creative describes something that one is, or possesses, or owns. Creativity takes one over, finds a way to manifest itself, most often through the Artist. This Creativity finds its Life through the human condition – finds its Life somewhere between both the author and the reader. It is through this symbiotic relationship that I realized that, to some degree, I became that ethereal manifestation of Humanity's Creativity. My fiction, my stories find their life through me, but they are not truly mine.

Great food, drink, people, local authors, local Ottawans, conversations, inspirations. This is akin to a spiritual awakening. This is what life is... and I am happy and content to be on this sojourney.