Getting it Together

It is wonderful how God puts certain people in your life at just the right time. This semester we have an amazing scholar in residence--a true pioneer in Black women's studies. I somehow mustered up the courage to ask her to join me for lunch, and we had a wonderful conversation today. In her questions about my work, it became very obvious that I have serious issues with my discipline that have kept me from sending out more of my work. She gave me a serious (but sweet) kick in the behind to get moving. But I also received from her something that I hadn't gotten anywhere else--affirmation that I'm not crazy! She has an amazing sense of the academic landscape and was able to confirm that yes, my discipline is a little slow when it comes to race and gender. But she was really able to help me see possible avenues to get my work out in my field, and also in other forums that might give me the feedback I need to strengthen my work within my discipline.

The timing of this conversation was amazing because just on Friday, for the first time in a long time, I had the desire to work on my own stuff. I've been making plans to work--plans to write for a while, but the desire--the motivation--has been gone. It is nice that it is finally coming back, and just in time for me to have this wonderfully inspiring conversation with a preeminent scholar who has truly been there--done that.

I have some serious work to do this semester--not just because I'm on the market--not just because I need in on my CV--but because I want to and I need to. My discipline needs some new perspectives and talking about my work with someone who knows so much definitely helped me see today that I do have new perspectives to offer. I just need to put pen to paper and get going! I just wasn't in a good place last year to invest myself in writing again. And I'm okay with that. I can't feel bad about it or call it a "loss" (which is how I think I have been thinking of the past year academically). Last year was a big transition for me in a lot of ways and I am blessed to be on the other side of that.

So here's to getting it together. Finally.