Anne Tyler, School, Writing, & Chances

I've put off writing for a number of months blaming my depression and anxiety as my demotivators. Now, I'm questioning whether they're only contributing factors.

I'm still in that stuck point of do I finish my PhD program, or do I withdraw? The reality of no more guaranteed federal financial aid has hit. I actually owe a small bit of tuition this quarter, and all subsequent quarters will be my responsibility. I can try and qualify for a low interest loan, but would it be an investment or simply another opportunity to waste money?

So, now back to my writing. I haven't been doing the work I need to be doing on my dissertation proposal on top of not doing any outside writing. Could it be I'm holding onto something (school) that I should have already let go? Maybe education is no longer the dream I should be pursuing. And, maybe, my unwillingness to let it go has kept me standing still? 

I saw a quote in my twitter feed that jumped out at me today: Award-winning novelist, Anne Tyler is credited as saying, "I've never quite believed that one chance is all I get. Writing is my way of making other chances".

I've had many chances to be successful, whether it be financially stable, content professionally, or locationally happy.  Often my husband and I will say, this is our second chance to do it right, and we've said that so many times, it's become an inside joke.

I only recently rediscovered writing, and it has been so much fun! I've also found it incredibly satisfying seeing how my skills and talents easily transfer. Even still, I saw it as a complement to my schooling. Being a student must come first, even if my passion for schooling had started disappearing in 2008. 

I don't know Anne Tyler's story, but if it has anything to do with losing one's direction, her words might be worth heeding.