The PBS Blog

A few weeks ago, I received notice that Black History Facts would be ordered by two bookstores, Unabridged Books in Chicago and Novel in Memphis. Of course, I am ecstatic about having the book available in my hometown. But since I won’t be in Chicago until next year, I took the opportunity to visit Novel this weekend, since I was going to be in Arkansas anyway.

We took my mother-in-law to the Crater of Diamonds State Park and had a ball.

The girlyness in me wanted to get my nails done, but I didn’t cause I knew we’d be playing in the dirt!

The next day, we drove over to Novel to speak with the staff and sign the copies of the books they had bought.

“We’ll sell these and order some more,” the man told me.

To say that I am humbled is an understatement. My books are not traditionally published. I am not a celebrity, and I don’t have a large team behind me. It’s just little ole me out here self-publishing books and creating around the single goal of doing my part to restore the history of my people.

Even more, the moment made me think of something I heard on IMO, the podcast by Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson. They were interviewing the ever gorgeous, poised, classy, and intelligent Philicia Rashad and Debbie Allen when Rashad said:

“Don’t give up on the creative process of your own thought.”

I thought about this and the miracle of creating art. How extraordinary it is that something can begin as nothing more than a thought, a flicker of imagination, a whisper in the mind, and slowly become something we can touch, read, hear, or see.

And yet, how often do we overlook the miracle of its beginning because we are too busy waiting for it to become what we hope it will be?

I hope we learn to honor our creations before they become the big things we dream of. Before the book is published, before the painting is finished, before the poem is spoken, before the song is sung, before the idea is recognized by anyone beyond ourselves.

As I signed at the store, Philicia’s wise words echoed in my mind, and I thought about how miraculous it is to conceive something in your mind, nurture it, make room for it, plan around it, and watch it take shape in the world.

It’s not just a book, an article, a program, a poem, a song, or a workshop.

You are witnessing the transformation of something that once existed only within you into something that exists beyond you.

I hope that for all the creatives who find themselves in those low moments, those lonely seasons when it feels like nothing is happening, when the work feels invisible, and when you are still sitting in the waiting rooms of life…

I hope you remember that the waiting does not make the work any less miraculous.

You are still imagining. Still dreaming. Still gathering the pieces. Still becoming the person who can bring your vision to life.

I hope you don’t wait until the world applauds to recognize the wonder of what you are doing. I hope you don’t wait until the finished product gives you permission to celebrate the process.

Because sometimes, the miracle isn’t just in what we create. It’s in the fact that, despite everything, we are still creating.

And how extraordinary it is to witness the miraculous process of your own creation!