I love the physical idea of this phrase, as if orbs of time are floating all around, waiting to be plucked from space and into a moment. Existing to give (time, creative energy, sparks) and store (thoughts, memories, firestarters) for you, to tap into whenever you need it.

It makes me feel like nothing is ever lost and everything can be saved, which, in respect to creative endeavors and ideas, is something I have struggled with. I have to remind myself  these orbs are made of time, and time changes everything, so whatever goes in, will never be the same when it comes out. Without nurturing, these seeds will fester and die. But I digress!

I want to appreciate these keepsakes for their practicality in my daily life and writer’s journey. At this point in my life, my writing can be diminished by definition to being a ‘hobby’ (if I may be so crass). What that means is I am mostly at the mercy of the universe to write. These pockets of time allow me to store and drink from my creative well with continuity, at any moment that grabs me. 

Some places I find these pockets of time are –

• In the dark while I keep my son feeling safe as he falls asleep;
• Sitting in my car, in the parking lot, 5 minutes before work starts;
• 8 minutes between flipping chicken for dinner;
• Scribbled notes while sit in stopped traffic;
• When my son banishes me to the metaphorical bleechers while he drives and parks his Matchbox cars;
• That one time I was stuck on the train for 4 hours (Thank you Google Docs offline mode).

When you sink into these pockets, time is warped, it’s relative. You will be amazed by what you can accomplish in as little as 5, 10 minutes, and as much as 20 minutes. The more practiced you are at working with them, the easier it is to find them and utilize your time.

In those times when you have barely a few minutes, I encourage you to delve deep into the moment. Don’t waste a second thinking about it ending; allow yourself to sink into the black hole of time you have been granted. These micro moments are ideal for storing sparks – an idea, a thought, a note to think on later. They will become your kindling, burning away the blank page so you can hit the page writing and maximise the time you have to write. 

Embrace the magic.