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by Cathy Baker

“And by the way, everything in life is writeable about
if you have the outgoing guts to do it
and the imagination to improvise.The worst enemy to
creativity is self-doubt.” -Sylvia Plath

“Travel writing sounds awesome.” It wasn’t the answer I expected.

If you know me, you know that travel has been problematic ever since a car accident back in 1984. Back roads are doable, to a point. Highways, um, no.

Graphic courtesy of Sound Valley

So, when given the opportunity to pitch three ideas for a monthly column over at A-3 no one was more surprised than me to find that I’d scribbled the words travel writing on my page of possibilities. Surely it was a momentary lapse in judgment!

Instead of pitching three ideas, I decided to agree on the one subject the editor wanted and needed at the time—grammar. I had the email ready to go. Problem was, my finger refused to hit the send button. In doing so, I felt I’d be settling for the known, and not trusting God with the unknown. 

Rather than hitting the send key, the one ripe with guaranteed success, the delete key was struck instead. I started a new email and this time, travel writing was included as one of the three pitches. I glanced heavenward with a smile, feeling almost like a kid that had been double-dog dared. With one tap, the email was sent and all I could do was wait. 

I found myself delighting in God’s sense of humor. Travel writing, really? I had nothing to offer on the subject 
except my own reluctance. 

In the hours that passed between the pitch and the response, I was reminded of Buttercup. Remember her? She’s the 1963 Shasta Airflyte my hubby bought me for our 25th Anniversary coming up in October. I purchased a domain name for her the day we were introduced, confident that God was up to something with me and the subject of travel. (We look forward to our maiden voyage very soon.)

As I anxiously awaited the editor’s response, I continued praying that God would guide him to make the right decision for me. Because I prayed this believing He would, I rest in the fact that He did just that—despite the self-doubt and relentless accusations within. For example, How can you, oh reluctant traveler (except for the mountains) be a travel writer? 

I don’t know what God is stirring up but I know I’m not afraid to research, work hard, and pray for a mile-long dose of creativity to throw in the mix. So there, Satan! Get behind me. 

Join me over at A-3 this Friday, July 24th for my first posting! It is sure to be an exciting adventure.


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