“Brace yourselves and give into the moment.
You’ve got nothing to lose.”
Daydreamer- 10 Years- Division (2008)

There are times when you have to grab life by both hands and hold on like God poured super glue on you five second before tossing you out the door. Impulsion leads to life experience, to moments you’ll never forget (good or bad) and stories to tell for years to come. I’d forgotten what that was like. There are times in life when you get caught up with the bigger picture and forget the small things that sustain you until you reach the ultimate goal.

The sun was barely peeking through the black clouds. They hovered low to the ground, bowing back from the gusts of wind behind them. Boys in blue t-shirts manned giant squeegees and pushed massive water puddles through the chain link fence. They laughed and pushed water and splashed each other and passerby’s played along, kicking water onto each other and giggling. T-shirts were tied in knots, hats in place, wristbands advertising bands pushed up on forearms. Everyone was in a good mood. Music tends to mellow out the most aggressive bunch. Until you step into the mosh pit, then all bets are off.

I rolled my jeans up past my shoes. I’d slopped mud and water all over my tennis shoes, my socks were soaked, water sloshed around in the bottom of my soles. I had my sunglasses slid low over my eyes while I assessed the crowd. I weaved through swarms of people, carefully not to bump anyone. Yet.  I held my best friend’s hand as we got closer. I could feel the energy rolling off me as I got closer to the railing.  The dark clouds were getting thicker. The tension from the impending storm loomed closer, charging the crowd a little higher than usual. You can feel the chanting before you can hear it. It vibrates down your spine, makes your fingers tingle. The electricity runs through your body until the only thing you can do is bounce up and down with your fist in the air like a generic version of Tigger.

The first crack of lightening and the crowd goes wild.  I look to my best friend, who’s grinning like the Cheshire Cat. We’ve lived for this moment. This one moment we never thought we’d share together- the rain pit.

It is a once in a lifetime chance. A moment you have to cease with both hands and hold on- it’s one helluva ride. At first it sprinkles. The band is warming up with a few of their lesser known songs. The music was so loud that screaming at the top of your lungs won’t get you heard. Hundreds of fans are jumping in rhythm; the universal “rock on” hand symbol is out, pumping through the air as you tried to feed the band all your energy.  The words to the song pour through your mind. You’ve listened to it a million times but there’s no moment before this one when the song meant more.

The rain comes harder and you expend more energy. The drops feel good against your heated skin as you gasp for air. You’re holding your breath. You can’t believe this is happening. Living the dream you’ve always had. Except the daydream can’t hold a candle to the real thing.

Thunder roared on, lightening cracked through the sky. The band took a small break to point out all the people who’ve ducked under shelters and the crowd raved at them, showing them just what they’re missing by living on the safe side. The music slowed and the energy whispers through the pit. It simmers just under the surface until it builds up again to a boiling point. You’re soaked to the bone. Your jeans are so water logged the weight is pulling them off and still you jump up and down. Your shirt is plastered to you like second skin. Your hair is dripping onto your face. Even sunglasses can’t protect your eyes anymore. The pit became more of a water hole and the crowd dug into the water and started sloshing it everywhere as the music picked back up. The energy is just so insane; adrenaline is the only thing you recognize. Your body is no longer your own as you give yourself to the moment. To life. Every cell of your being was made for this moment and life is worth living to the fullest for just that second of freedom.

Writing is a lot like being on that stage. You never know when that can be taken away from you. When the inspiration will fly the coup. When you can’t find anything to believe in but you keep trying to put one foot in front of the other. The road to stardom is a lonely road you have to travel to make it to the top. You have to keep thinking the reward is worth the price you pay. To have your name on the banner, behind you as you embrace your fans with everything you have. But to have that, you have to give yourself over to experiencing life. To accomplish your ultimate goal you have to take the biggest sacrifices and give up everything for just a chance in time. You have to write something your reader can relate to. Lyrics to a song; emotions to a writer. It’s all relative. Being in a pit reminds you of what you miss out on if you only look at the big picture. It’s all the smaller ones that help you better experience the bigger one. If you work in harmony, the result is more cohesive, easier to understand, instead if you fight it and work against the bigger picture. It’s not always about what will happen in the end as much as it is what’s happening now. What’s going to get you to that point will happen along the way. Live for the moment. Live through your characters.  Move out of that damned comfort zone for once and do the unexpected. The rewards are well worth the sacrifice.

What’s one thing you’ve had your character do that was daring and something you’d never do? Readers, you have any juicy stories to tell us about life? How about scenes you’ve read where characters have moved out of their comfort zones?