“I started my memoir years ago…but then I put it down. Life just got in the way.”

People tell me this, often with a sad look, as if this means they’re doomed. “

I didn’t finish it yet, therefore I never will, they seem to think. The window has closed. That ship has sailed.

I get it. An abandoned project can feel more daunting than a new one.

The problem is this:

We often interpret not finishing as “I’ve failed.” “I can’t.” “It’s just not possible,” or some brand of learned helplessness.

But listen:

Books grow in the dark.

When you take a step back from your book, you’re not doing anything wrong. Even if it’s been years.

In fact, I would argue that it can be a good thing.

You might find that now — older, wiser — you’ll have fresher eyes. You understand the story differently. You see the people or characters involved more completely. You can identify patterns you didn’t see before. You have sharper tools, new ideas.

Ideas grow in the dark soil of our minds, like seeds pushing up from underground.

Trust that.

When you’re ready, let yourself be a beginner again. Shine a light on what you left untended. You’ll be surprised what’s growing.