About Moving Objects

There use to be a day when I thought about writing the Great American Novel on a daily basis. Shortly after my kids were born (and after I had resisted the urge to sell my daughter to a Gypsy family), I used them as my muse or my inspiration. I was in my car a lot in those days and had a tape of Bob Seger’s Greatest Hits that I listened to constantly. As I drove and listened and drove and listened, it occurred to me, whether the artist meant to or not, that his songs told a story. I may have also been hallucinating.

At any rate, I began to formulate an idea for a novel based on the songs and, being a Midwestern boy myself, it settled around a guy who moved from Michigan to California to find himself, only to discover he had already done so in his children. I wrote 20-30 pages before I gave up (as usual), but I remember one line I wrote that has always stuck with me: God only helps moving objects.

Fast forward 20 years and the line has come back to me. It is a natural inclination when times are tough for people to freeze. I’ve frozen many times and I can say from experience nothing good comes of it. So I began to create my own inertia recently and have begun to push for things to happen. To my surprise, my movement has led to movement from others and suddenly I am feeling much better about my business and personal prospects.

Twenty years ago, I wrote a short line and then forgot about it. I wish I hadn’t because I really believe we have to create our own success and create our own opportunities. And it doesn’t hurt to have God’s help when you’re trudging up a hill.