So last week I quit my job. At least, I quit my day job. I went full-time with my own company, Trant Logistics, which I have been working at, in relative secret (at least from my old co-workers) since 2006.
Now I work from home. I set my own hours, which are 24/7, and I no longer receive vacations, but what the hoo-hah, it's worth it, right?
When I turned in notice, I said to my then-boss, You know that old Aesop's fable about the two dogs where one is on the leash, and the other is not? It goes like this, poorly paraphrased:
A starving stray meets a house dog on a leash. The house dog says, Come in, friend, and enjoy the warmth of my fire, and fill your belly on my food.
The stray dog says, I am hungry, and I am cold, but what is that around your neck?
Why, it's a leash my master put on me.
No thanks, says the stray. I'll keep my freedom.
And he walks away.
MORAL: Better to have lean freedom than fat slavery.
Remember, folks, that Aesop was a slave before a writer, and was owned, and shackled, and called someone master. So this is among one of his most personal and deepest stories, in my opinion.
So I am unshackled. I may become lean, but at least I am FREE!
Free to write. Free to publish. Free to earn more or less money as it suits me, or as need demands.
My goal is to make writing not just a pastime, but a viable source of income. I will write, and write, and write write write, embracing my freedom, and dreaming of the day, and chasing the day, and become each day closer to the day I am a full-time, well-known, world-class author.
Until then, I will rub the chafe from my neck, and heal the scar, and work to never, never again be shackled by the leash.
Because only dogs and humans view a leash as freedom.
What about you? Do you have dreams on which you have recently scored a victory, either huge or small or medium?
- Eric
Eric W. Trant is a published author of several short stories and the novel Out of the Great Black Nothing. He is currently working on his second full-length novel WINK with WiDo Publishing, coming May 7, 2013! See more of Eric's work here: Publications, or order directly from Amazon, or wherever books are sold.** BE A SUPER-HERO! BE AN ORGAN DONOR! **
