An Angel's Share

A pilgrimage to explore the extending of grace to others as well as ourselves.

What you can do, or dream you can, begin it,

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it,

Only engage, and then the mind grows heated—

Begin it, and the work will be completed!

1835 - Irish poet, John Anster’s, published translation of Part One of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s tragic masterwork “Faust”.

I read somewhere that someone said that there are two broad categories of podcasts and blogs. The first is where the presenter/writer is an expert and is sharing expertise with others. There are a lot of good ones on Substack, some Substacks to which I am gratefully subscribed.

The other category is where the presenter/writer is somewhat of a pilgrim - someone who is on a journey and hopes the listener/reader wants to be a part of the journey understanding that she is bringing experiences and wisdom to the table as we travel. My intention is to put musings out there in hopes they really light some readers up, energy that I try to send to you and, in turn, you send yours back to me.

I continue to work on a novel that has been my companion along my journey for many years now. The title is An Angel's Share which a term used in the production of alcoholic beverages aged in barrels. I associate it with whiskeys and especially bourbon. Because of aging of whiskey in pourous wood barrels, some of the whiskey is lost to evaporation. The longer the aging, the more whiskey is lost to evaporation.

According to Irish and Scottish legend, the distillers suspected that angels descended to earth and enjoyed a small amount of their whisky directly from the barrels before they were opened. Others contend that the origin of the phrase is a translation from the French "la part des anges" that referred to the loss of Cognac during barrel aging in that region of France.

The novel explores the idea of grace, that which we extend to ourselves as well and the grace we grant to others. In the Psalms, David reflects on God's creation and views man as having been created a little lower than the angels. Alcohol and alcoholism are elements of the novel which will fuel struggles and confrontations and push relationships to breaking points.

This Substack will not be about the novel, per se, but part of it will talk about my journey as a first time novelist at age 67. And if the novel is ever published, I will most certainly not still be that age.

So why now?

Actually the real question is why not earlier?

It’s not one thing. Rather, it’s a recipe of a numerous things that come together perfectly into a dish called fear. Just a cup of imposter syndrome, combined with two tablespoons of procrastination, along with the exact amount of perfectionism.

I love to write. I love to read. And I keep putting words down but then I keep pulling them back up. So why should I think I can create and share ideas on Substack? I’m not an expert.

Exactly.

I’m a pilgrim and I’m on a journey.

I remember my very first writing mentor, Cate McGowan, and during our initial meeting, she told me how jealous she was of me. Before I could ask why she followed with “because you are just starting your journey. You are beginning your journey of discovery and joy.”

At the time, I was excited about this description but I misunderstood in that, like most other things in life, I would begin, I would learn and grow, and then at some point, I would arrive.

I laughed at the quotation attributed to Ernest Hemingway that we are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master. He must have said that after one of his libationary nights on the town. Surely.

Little did I know that, like most grand things in life, like love, passion, and yes, discovery and joy, I never quite arrive. And for that realization, I am quite excited.

So why now?

Well, I came across another quote by bestselling poet and author, Maggie Smith in her Substack, “For Dear Life,” that simultaneously stopped me in my tracks and started up my creative engine:

“I left with the important reminder that there are no perfect conditions under which to create art, so don’t wait for them. There will always be constraints—time, budget, materials and equipment. If you’re waiting for all of the roadblocks to be cleared before you begin, you might be waiting all your life. So stop waiting. Just do your best to put something into the world that wasn't there yesterday.”

No perfect conditions

Stop waiting for all of the roadblocks to be cleared

Put something into the world that wasn’t there yesterday

I’m taking a deep breath, and taking a journey and hoping this might resonate and some of you all might want to come along. Let’s embark on separate pilgrimages together, granting a little grace along the way, and accepting it

as needed.

Do your best and I’ll do mine. I’m putting something into the world that wasn’t there yesterday.

Me.

Love and light along the way,

Terry