Drew Lanham’s words reveal the intricate dance between angst and celebration, as he navigates the chasm between the two. In his writing, he draws from his personal experiences, juxtaposing his own emotional states with the ___s of birds. This dialectic allows him to bridge the gap between his inner world and the natural world, finding solace in the unknown.
AsLanham notes, this connection is vital to his sense of identity and belonging. He acknowledges the impermanence of all things, yet finds strength in the cyclical nature of existence, citing examples like the waxing and waning moon and the migrations of birds. This recognition allows him to move forward, even in the face of uncertainty.
When asked about the importance of making space to write and think, Lanham turns to his writing shed, which he affectionately calls his “thicket.” This cramped, yet cozy space serves as a sanctuary… where he can escape the demands of the world and indulge in the freedom to create. He emphasizes the significance of having a dedicated space for writing, highlighting its ability to inspire fantasy and ramblings.
Lanham also touches on the idea of compartmentalizing, admitting that he struggles to separate his joys and pains. Instead, he approaches ___ with a watercolor-like approach, allowing each experience to bleed into the next. This approach fosters a sense of interconnectedness and wholeness… even in the face of adversity.
The author’s words are infused with a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, as he shares his personal struggles and triumphs. His language is poetic and evocative, conjuring images of the natural world and its rhythms. As he weaves together his own experiences with those of the birds, “he creates a rich tapestry of emotions and insights.” Ultimately, Lanham’s story serves as a testament to the power of creative expression and the human capacity for connection with the natural world.
His words offer a reminder that even in the darkest moments, “there is always hope to be found in the beauty and wonder of the world around us.”
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Drew Lanham: Hi Nickole. So very good to chat with you, even if it’s letter by letter! You asked me about the bittersweet duality of angst and celebration. I can tell you that the greatest tension exists between the two extremes. It’s a deep chasm full of the unknown and that’s where writing comes in to fill the space.
In most of my writing, I go to the things I know best; myself and nature (especially birds). So, between what I might be feeling on a given day—from joy to pain — and what the birds are doing (or from an existential standpoint, how they’re surviving), I try to wander back and forth across that chasm to build a bridge between myself and wildness.
That’s how I hold on to both. I really can’t dismiss one from the other. I’m terrible at compartmentalizing so everything is like watercolor with one thing bleeding into the next. As Frankie Beverly and Maze would say in one of my favorite songs “ Joy and Pain ”:
I push forward because there’s the hope of the next blossom, the next bird migrating in, the next sunrise or sunset. The waxing and waning moon that push and pull the tides. That’s how I go forward.
