This is a life-giving breath of fresh air in a world that insists we move at a pace that leaves us gasping for air! I recently attended a the CS Lewis Writers Conference and one of my biggest (and best) aha moments was God's invitation to exit the high-speed interstate and take the slow, country road with Him. Thank you for these lovely words.
I bought a small framed painting of the "road" and hung it by my desk. Its the first thing I see when I walk into my writing space. Now I'll add humming Country Roads to the routine.
I love this! This essay is a very timely reminder for me to allow myself enjoy the process in a world where we are subjugated by the tyranny of the urgent. Things that matter take time. Thank you for this thought provoking piece Feyisayo.
Beautiful and deeply needed. The “leaf-mould of the mind” image is going to stay with me for a long time.
I especially loved the reminder that slow creating is not wasted creating — that time with neighbors, friends, reading, and the Father may actually be part of what the work needs in order to grow.
That line about not becoming so consumed by hurry that we forget what our creativity is for felt like the heart of the whole piece. Thank you for this.
I don’t know that I’ve ever related to an essay more. Reminds me of the following passage from Fr. Gregory Pine’s book on prudence:
“One’s life isn’t principally about results to be realized in the world. That’s the domain of the artist. An artist is successful if he makes good and beautiful things, and his standing as an artist is relative to the things made. When it comes to the prudent person though, one’s standing as a human being is relative to character. A person is successful if he or she becomes good and noble. The results, the consequences of action, are, in a certain sense, beside the point.”
This resonated deeply with me. I’m working on a novel that I believe is not merely something I need to create, but something that may genuinely matter to others. That conviction adds urgency, but also a strange tension. The work is still in progress because I am still in progress. Sometimes finishing too quickly would mean giving the book only what I understand now, before I have grown enough to give it what it may need.
That made your reflection on the long unfolding of redemption especially meaningful to me. God could have acted at once, but he worked through people, and people require time to learn, fail, grow, understand, and become capable of carrying what comes next. Perhaps some creative work is like that too: the work is being formed while the one creating it is being formed.
“The work is still in progress because I am still in progress.” Yes to this. This has been my ongoing internal frustration but also a reality I am slowly accepting. The Lord is teaching me to open my hands to his timing.
This is so beautiful and wise. Thank you. Stephen Roach once said, “the detours deepen the journey,” which I love too. It encourages me as someone whose life has been full of detours and false starts and that “long obedience in the same direction” — much of that related to creative dreams but also other spheres like dating and marriage, career, etc. It’s been maddening at times. I recently said no to a possible book offer because it would have focused on the very themes I believe God has me directing my attention away from this year, like illness and suffering. So, your words were a refreshment to me. (And BIG Tolkien fan here!!) I love metaphors drawn from the natural world, and “leaf mould” is an image that will stick with me. Further up and further in, sister. 🧡
A lovely, convicting thing to read the day after I take up a new project. I am uncomfortable with the unfinished . . . maybe because I am uncomfortable with being unfinished myself. Thanks for this.
This was so encouraging, thank you! As someone with a writing degree who has been buried in grad school for something else, I can worry I'm atrophying. But I think you're right that everything is leaf-mould. And I keep thinking about the importance of becoming a certain kind of person with a certain kind of inner life that will allow me to write. Much is made of the discipline of writing, and while that's important, I think there's a kind of attentiveness and soul-depth that's need too... layers of leaf-mould within us. So I appreciate your encouragement to pursue those things not as secondary to writing. Leaf by Niggle is always a great reminder!
This is so true! Very well said! I often feel disappointed about all that I haven’t finished but there is so much beauty in taking time to create with intention in partnership with God, rather than just hitting a deadline. Thank you for this.
This is a life-giving breath of fresh air in a world that insists we move at a pace that leaves us gasping for air! I recently attended a the CS Lewis Writers Conference and one of my biggest (and best) aha moments was God's invitation to exit the high-speed interstate and take the slow, country road with Him. Thank you for these lovely words.
I love this, Lori. And now I’m humming Country Roads by John Denver :)
I bought a small framed painting of the "road" and hung it by my desk. Its the first thing I see when I walk into my writing space. Now I'll add humming Country Roads to the routine.
Well said! I like how they say that the Mass is “outside of time.”
I love this! This essay is a very timely reminder for me to allow myself enjoy the process in a world where we are subjugated by the tyranny of the urgent. Things that matter take time. Thank you for this thought provoking piece Feyisayo.
Beautiful and deeply needed. The “leaf-mould of the mind” image is going to stay with me for a long time.
I especially loved the reminder that slow creating is not wasted creating — that time with neighbors, friends, reading, and the Father may actually be part of what the work needs in order to grow.
That line about not becoming so consumed by hurry that we forget what our creativity is for felt like the heart of the whole piece. Thank you for this.
I don’t know that I’ve ever related to an essay more. Reminds me of the following passage from Fr. Gregory Pine’s book on prudence:
“One’s life isn’t principally about results to be realized in the world. That’s the domain of the artist. An artist is successful if he makes good and beautiful things, and his standing as an artist is relative to the things made. When it comes to the prudent person though, one’s standing as a human being is relative to character. A person is successful if he or she becomes good and noble. The results, the consequences of action, are, in a certain sense, beside the point.”
Thank you for your wisdom, Feyisayo
This resonated deeply with me. I’m working on a novel that I believe is not merely something I need to create, but something that may genuinely matter to others. That conviction adds urgency, but also a strange tension. The work is still in progress because I am still in progress. Sometimes finishing too quickly would mean giving the book only what I understand now, before I have grown enough to give it what it may need.
That made your reflection on the long unfolding of redemption especially meaningful to me. God could have acted at once, but he worked through people, and people require time to learn, fail, grow, understand, and become capable of carrying what comes next. Perhaps some creative work is like that too: the work is being formed while the one creating it is being formed.
“The work is still in progress because I am still in progress.” Yes to this. This has been my ongoing internal frustration but also a reality I am slowly accepting. The Lord is teaching me to open my hands to his timing.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder, Feyisayo! Here's to walking in the Lord's ways and timing with the creative endeavors He's gifted to us.
A beautiful reminder. Here's to the slow but steady growth!
I really enjoyed reading this! Thank you for this reminder and encouragement toward slowness.
This is so beautiful and wise. Thank you. Stephen Roach once said, “the detours deepen the journey,” which I love too. It encourages me as someone whose life has been full of detours and false starts and that “long obedience in the same direction” — much of that related to creative dreams but also other spheres like dating and marriage, career, etc. It’s been maddening at times. I recently said no to a possible book offer because it would have focused on the very themes I believe God has me directing my attention away from this year, like illness and suffering. So, your words were a refreshment to me. (And BIG Tolkien fan here!!) I love metaphors drawn from the natural world, and “leaf mould” is an image that will stick with me. Further up and further in, sister. 🧡
"In a way, the entire Bible is the leaf-mould that the story of Jesus emerges from."
Beautiful!
A lovely, convicting thing to read the day after I take up a new project. I am uncomfortable with the unfinished . . . maybe because I am uncomfortable with being unfinished myself. Thanks for this.
This was so encouraging, thank you! As someone with a writing degree who has been buried in grad school for something else, I can worry I'm atrophying. But I think you're right that everything is leaf-mould. And I keep thinking about the importance of becoming a certain kind of person with a certain kind of inner life that will allow me to write. Much is made of the discipline of writing, and while that's important, I think there's a kind of attentiveness and soul-depth that's need too... layers of leaf-mould within us. So I appreciate your encouragement to pursue those things not as secondary to writing. Leaf by Niggle is always a great reminder!
This is so true! Very well said! I often feel disappointed about all that I haven’t finished but there is so much beauty in taking time to create with intention in partnership with God, rather than just hitting a deadline. Thank you for this.
This is the first post of yours I've read and an encouragement as I start a MFA thesis and gird my loins for the long haul!
And I am SO fascinated by the fact that your degree is in oral history!
Thank you, Feyisayo, for this important reminder to slow down and focus on the process, not only the product, of our creativity.
Fantastic piece!