An Invocation for Beginnings by ZE Frank

“Don’t call it a comeback I’ll have hair for years. I’m scared. I’m scared that my abilities are gone.

I’m scared that I’m gonna f*ck this up.  And I’m scared of you.

I don’t wanna start but I will. This is an invocation for anyone who hasn’t begun.

Who’s stuck in a terrible place between zero and 1.

Let me realize that my past failures in follow through are no indication of my future performance,

They are just healthy little fires that are gonna warm up my a$$

If my FILDI is strong let me keep him in a velvet box until I really really need him

If my FILDI is weak let me feed him oranges and not let him gorge himself on ego and arrogance

Let me not hit up my facebook like it’s a crack pipe

Keep the browser closed

If I catch myself wearing a tootoo – too fat too late too old

Let me shake it off like a donkey would shake off something it doesn’t like

And when I get that feeling in my stomach, you know that feeling when all of a sudden you get a ball of energy and it shoots down into your legs and up into your arms and it tells you get up and stand up and go to the refrigerator and get a cheese sandwich?  That’s my cheese monster talking and my cheese monster will never be satisfied by cheddar – only the cheese of accomplishment.

Let me think about the people who I care about the most and how when they fail or disappoint me, I still love them, I still give them chances, and I still see the best in them.  Let me extend that generosity to myself. 

Let me find and use metaphors to help me understand the world around me and give me the strength to get rid of them when it is apparent they no longer work. 

Let me thank the parts of me that I don’t understand or are out of my rational control, like my creativity and my courage.  And let me remember that my courage is like a wild dog and won’t just come when I call it.  I have to chase it down and hold on as tight as I can. 

Let me not be so vain to think that I’m the sole author of my victories and a victim of my defeats.

Let me remember that the unintended meaning that people project onto what I do is neither my fault or something that I can take credit for.

Perfectionism may look good in his shiny shoes but he’s a little bit of an a$$hole and no one invites him to their pool parties.

Let me remember that the impact of criticism is often not the intent of the critic.  But when the intent is evil, that’s what the block button’s for.  But when I eat my critique let me be able to separate out the good advice from the bitter herbs.

Let me not think of my work only as a stepping stone to something else.  And if it is, let me become fascinated with the shape of the stone.

Let me take the idea that has gotten me this far and put it to bed.  What I’m about to do will not be that but it will be something.

There is no need to sharpen my pencils anymore, my pencils are sharp enough – even the dull ones will make a mark.  Warts and all, let’s start this shit up.  And God let me enjoy this!  Life isn’t just a sequence of waiting for things to be done.”

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