Sunlight

The Writing Life - Annie Dillard

> One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to

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To survive the deeds of the powerful, we must first understand our needs. Once named precisely, we can work more effectively to meet them. When you feel yourself enthralled by anxiety and fear, it is good to remember your needs. Then, if you can meet them, try to meet the needs of those you love. If you meet those and still have capacity, try to

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But in any context where there are more things that feel like they need doing than there’s time available in which to do them – which is the normal state of affairs, after all – a to-do list is by definition really a menu, a list of tasks to pick from, rather than to get through. And operating from sanity means treating it that way: starting with

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People who loved me kept me alive. By telling them that I wanted to die and describing to them the reality of that pain, they took more and better care of me. In suicidal despair, the best resource is an attentive, capable, and generous person. In my case, my wife, mother, and sister helped me meet my needs: they ensured I didn't hurt myself; they

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George Leonard on how mastery is nothing but a series of plateaus with brief spurts of progress:

“The most important lessons here — especially for young people — is that even if you’re shooting for the stars, you’re going to spend most of your time on a plateau. That’s where the deepest, most lasting learning takes place, so you might as well enjoy... See more