The Artist, Lockdowns, and 2021

We’ve come to the end of another year, but not the end of another time. Each of us has had our share of blessings and cursings, but all in all, I for one have had a very blessed year, rich with the grace and salvation of God. The lockdown was good for me, even though one could say it was meant for evil. One of the reasons it was good is because I was able to write a book draft between March and June 1, 2020, which has foretold several things that would happen in the following months, including rioting and the destruction of small businesses and a water main break.

This is not the first time that things I’ve written have come true in one sense or another. For example, in Fish Out of Water, the character who most resembles me, Margot, has a romantic relationship with a character named Daniel, whose friends are Walter and Phil. Three or four years after writing that story, I dated someone named Daniel who had friends named Walter and Phil, except all three of these young men had character traits opposite to their fictional counterparts’. The prophetic elements in my current project are truly “fast-acting,” starting to happen within days.

As I mentioned above, we might be ending a year, but the world will still be in its current era when 2021 comes our way (it’s already 2021 in Asia and Australia.) Lockdowns and difficulty getting out and about in general will still likely be a thing. Even so, there’s another reason us artists can be happy, and not just because many of us are introverts.

As an artist, it is really true that we have the gift of never being bored and never feeling too utterly alone for words. At the very least, we never have nothing to do. We are not reliant on being in a place brimming with entertainment or work; rather, we are like fountains of creations, always ready to engage with some new and brilliant idea. If we’re not overflowing with imagination, we still have plenty to enjoy: books, games, videos, making music, etc. etc. etc.

Of course, creating art can be a grueling process too. Pep talk: God told me that my hard work would pay off. What I sow, I will reap. “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” Proverbs 14:23. If I don’t give up and keep going, eventually, I will reap the good harvest. That is assured. Now it is just a matter of pursuing the inspiration I’ve been given, learning the skills to craft a novel well, and going with God.

Let us go into the new year full of hope! Please subscribe to my blog and leave your thoughts; see you next year!