Dear Baby Girl,
What can I say? Arriving at this moment is surreal.
I thought we would be together for a long time; friends for life.
Our lives are inextricably linked with a common thread …
Eight year old you wanting to escape, finding solace in the pages of a book. Struggling to deal with the loss of your grandmother. Realizing the fate of two worlds rests on your young shoulders because only you can defeat the villainous Red Queen. Fighting the internal battle of the truth that surrounds you or accepting your mother’s beliefs.
And my forty something self, also longing to escape by penning your tale so others can escape into its pages. We’re a match made in heaven.
Yet here we are …
I have other characters whispering, okay shouting in my ear. Waking me from sound sleep and vibrating for my attention. Of course, I’ve denied them till now because I was committed to you. But I can’t deny my feelings for them any longer.
They speak to me in ways you haven’t in far too many months. Six to be exact. That’s not an accusation. It’s a fact. We don’t talk like we used to. Let’s face it, the spark is gone.
I crave the newness that comes at the beginning of a relationship. The “Honeymoon Phase” they call it. I miss that. I miss the excitement and exploration and surprise as we were getting to know each other. I need that.
Still I held on …
Why?
Because calling it quits would mean failure. Calling it quits would mean admitting that your story is bigger than my ability to tell it.
I know it’s selfish. I’ve stayed for the wrong reasons. I stayed because I was afraid of not finishing.
This may be cliché but: It’s not you … It’s me.
After three years and four months of trying to make it work … three years and …
- Countless reams of paper
- Megabytes of memory
- Tens of thousands of words
- Three journals
- Hundreds of phone calls and meetings
- Lots of tears and heartache …
I have to say goodbye.
I have to put you on the shelf and walk away. We’re just holding each other back. I’m sorry. I know I’ll regret this one day.
There’s an old saying:
“If you love something very, very badly, let it go free. If it comes back to you, it’s yours forever. If it doesn’t, it never was yours to begin with.”
Baby Girl … I pray you and your story come back to me. Please know that I love you, I just can be with you right now.
Tell the others bye for me …
Gail
the Jotter's Joint 
I’m sorry you had to say goodbye. Hopefully she’ll come back around again when the right home comes along.
Thanks Britt. I hope she comes back too. It would make me very happy. How’s writing going for you?
Hey, Gale. Writing is going really well. Or should I say…editing is going really well. Got past the second draft hump and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Feels awesome! : )
Wow! This totally resonated with me and a character I’ve been thinking about and writing around for more than three years. Huge hugs. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks Stephanie. Right back at you. I hope you find your way with your character. 😘
Saying goodbye is hard. I’m proud of you for being willing to move on. And I am more than just a little excited for the future. Hello to a new friend!
Thanks Sammy … The next work, the sparkly new thing is exciting. Hopefully, I am not full of shiny new things without ever getting to a point where something is a tarnished (and finished) old thing. 🙂
A beautiful reminder of how complex and delicate the creative process is. And who knows, maybe she’ll reappear in unexpected places, unexpected characters in other works.
Letizia … I sure hope Baby Girl’s story isn’t done. And creating is complex and delicate. Hopefully, over the next month and next year the process gets easier. Thanks for reading!
Ahh 😦 Your post just shows how much of ourselves we invest in our work Gail. It must hurt to know you can take in no further. What an excellent old saying that you close with – if it’s meant to be then you’ll pick it up again one day.
It is hard Roy but time to move on. I am hopeful I finish it one day. 🙂