a house full of ghosts

Laila Lalami says "Writing a novel is like living in a house full of ghosts.."


I liken it to being schizophrenic and hearing voices, but I like her analogy better.


She continues


"— even when you ignore them, they’re still there, waiting to talk to you. "


It's true.

I've been ignoring my ghosts a lot lately.

I hear them, swirling about, whispering over my shoulder.. "what about us..?"


I will return to them. So I say.

But my excuses drive the wagon. It's almost summer. I want to spend all my time at the beach.

Fall is better.

But then I want to be outside taking pictures.

Rainy days are for Netflix. Sometimes I don't want to be the one to tell the story.

Winter. Winter for sure. I'll have the ghosts to keep me busy. But winters come and go and still I haven't given a voice to the voices.


"They have all the time in the world. No matter how much you avoid them, the time comes when you have to confront them. Hear them out. See what they have to say. "


Ghosts have all the time in the world.

I don't.