Feeling blocked and unable to write, I often find myself sitting at my desk, jotting down some ideas and never getting beyond two paragraphs let alone two pages. I type it, save it, and look for a different topic. But nothing comes. Is this what some people call ‘writers’ block? I fool myself into believing that I am one of those big professional writers who experience such a phase.
Upon returning to Los Angeles after seven years, I thought that life was going to resume where I had left off. I expected to return to jail and continue my apostolate there. However, that was not the reality. I patiently awaited Providence to guide me while exploring newer areas of work. Unfortunately, even those efforts, for reasons beyond me, have not worked out yet. (Gone are the days when volunteering meant a simple process, without the numerous interviews, days of training, police background check, medical examinations, and a series of vaccines which one should have received as a newborn!) In moments of prayer, I seek to understand what God is trying to tell me. And one day the realization came to me: I am no professional full-time writer; I am a Missionaries of Charity Brother. The obstacle I face is not writers’ block but a lack of direct contact with the poor—my source of inspiration.
Br Carmel Duca MC
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