{The} important turning points in a writer’s career – perhaps in many kinds of careers – are…often small, scruffy moments. They are quiet, private sparks of revelation. They don’t come often, and when they do, they may well come without fanfare, unendorsed by mentors or colleagues. They must often compete for attention with louder, seemingly more urgent demands. Sometimes what they reveal may go against the grain of prevailing wisdom. But when they come, it’s important to be able to recognize them for what they are. Or they’ll slip through your hands.”
– Kazuo Ishiguro, Nobel Prize in Literature Lecture (2017)
I love small, scruffy moments.
I love how they slip in quietly, under the radar, easily escaping notice, but if we happen to catch wind of them, they change our life, in large and small ways.
I love how they look different, sound different, smell different, taste different. Feel different. Different in a way that nudges me a little closer into discomfort, a little further away from the comfortable, expected place and response.
I find myself more open to these moments now, actively seeking them out even, creating and holding space within which they can arrive and have a spot to sit for a bit. I do my best to be present with them, remain present with them when it gets uncomfortable, reminding myself to stay curious and ask a few questions, to be open to what they have to show me, to what I can learn in our sacred common moments.
They don’t last long, but they leave me flashes of insight, tingles felt along my spine, a smile on my lips (most of the time) and a sense of calm, of rightness, in my soul.
For as quietly as they come, they are also fighters. They find subtle and clever ways to garner my notice if I miss them, whether by accident or intention. They provide unique-to-us flashes of insight, an opening of our consciousness, a portal to our greatness.
It’s on us to set aside the noise of the world, the influence of our mentors, colleagues, and loved ones, who - while often well-intentioned - aren’t hearing these moments like we are. Our moments aren’t meant for them. They have their own small, scruffy moments to attend to. When they arrive for us, we must seek solitude, tune in so we can recognize them for what they are, and let ourselves be drawn in and inspired by the beauty of these sparks of revelation.
Take a moment to reflect on the following questions, focused on identifying small, scruffy moments in our lives. Please share your thoughts/responses in the comments section below - I’d love to hear your thoughts:
Have you had a small, scruffy moment in your life recently? If so, what did it look like? Sound like? Smell like? Taste like? How did it feel?
What are some of the louder, more urgent demands of your life right now? How do they affect your ability to identify and listen to the small, scruffy moments when they arrive?
Have you had a revelation lately about something that went against the grain of what you knew/believed to be true? What was that revelation and were you able to let it in and see what it had to say or did it end up slipping through your hands? Share your experience.