Stuck in the Comments Section of Life

Earlier this month I caught a tweet from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of “Hamilton.” It said:

Good morning. Do NOT get stuck in the ‘comments section’ of life today. Make, do, create the things. Let others tussle it out. Vamos!

I’ve been thinking about his words because since the first presidential debate, I’ve been living too much in the comments of life, letting others’ commentaries, diatribes, fallacious assertions, and appeals drown out my already fragile internal voice.

And I wonder why I’ve been feeling depression’s caul settle over me.

I’ve found myself sinking deep into the comments sections of Facebook posts. Then I Google articles, of which there are many, too many — and I’ve found myself wallowing in their comments sections.

And I wonder why I haven’t progressed on my next novel.

As we all know, the social media otherworld can be a total time-suck, a sinkhole of trashed dreams, an abyss of the wasted. Useless. Ridiculous. Mind-numbing. Soul-zapping. Creativity destroying.

I don’t know why I’m doing this to myself. I’m obsessed by this election as I’ve never been before.

And I wonder why my anxiety is a free-floating cloud I can’t seem to swat away.

This has been a helluva election cycle, and I can’t wait for November 9th. Meanwhile, I remember Miranda’s comment. Yep. Out of the comment sections–all those voices aren’t the voices that are going to help me make, do, create.

Last night, I came upon this reading by Benedict Cumberbatch that echoed Miranda’s words. Seemed like a sign.

Key word: DO