Roy Bedichek's friends and colleagues wanted him to write a book. They had spent years receiving his eloquent letters and enjoying stimulating and inspiring conversations. His closest friends, J Frank Dobie & Walter Prescott Webb, were insistent -- they must have been confident this man had something to say that would be meaningful to audiences far and wide. They secured enough funding (grants and perhaps private donations) to support a one-year leave from work and Webb offered a room at his Friday Mountain Ranch located just outside of Austin. So Bedi had no excuses! He agreed to sequester himself to remove distractions. (Many weekends he went back home to be with his family and tend to needs there.)
This effort resulted in Adventures with a Texas Naturalist, which put him on the literary map, launched his "encore" career as a published author, and brought his philosophical prose about nature and life to generations of seekers.
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February 1, 1946
(365)
[Note: starts with 365 to count down the days of his year-long leave]
Begun my year’s leave today & made two trips bringing my plunder to Fri. Mt. Ranch & worked hard putting up book-cases, (apple-boxes), hanging curtains, etc.
Got a nice fire going in old fireplace, I ate can of sardines & bread, with cup or two of water & apple for supper. This has a faint flavor of the frontier. Getting in wood, carrying water, & the great stillness of writing by lamp-light...
I have brought my favorite books and I mean to write mornings and read in the afternoons, or stroll up and down Bear Creek. I mean to get all the letters I have preserved in order, and systemize my reading notes and write first a book on the Olinin [?illegible] bird colony & then another of a more general nature. I think I can write at least two books in this year; & I mean to care for my health, so as to be as fresh as possible for this work.
The entry above is the first in a notebook I found in February at my aunt's home. This notebook is quite a find -- being Bedi's diary, as well as, bird and plant lists of his sabbatical. I was truly surprised by the journal entries. This notebook is a wonderful peek into the beginning of his book-writing journey that seemed to start with great intention and quickly became a mighty struggle.
Feb. 5
(360)
This day was a hard one for me, and towards evening as usual, a heavy cheerlessness, almost despondency.
Feb 8
Many chores. Returned to camp about noon. So dispirited I cannot work. Everything I have ever done seems useless & my life is one long succession of failures. How may one overcome such depression?
What? "One long succession of failures"? He had an amazing career as director of the University Interscholastic League! I was so taken aback by this reflection of his.
He was plagued by self-doubt.
Yet, he overcame.
Feb 9
Sleep, nature’s sweet nurse. Had six hours in good working condition 6am to 12pm. Had roast dinner: onion, apple -- all in ashes. Perfectly cooked & savory. Sorry I didn’t think to put in a sweet potato, too.
To me, his story and the lessons from his life have now instantly become richer and more valuable. He managed through the ups and downs of mood and emotion to create beauty and meaning that lives on and continues today to inspire and be truly relevant.
Unfortunately, his diary entries stop in May -- four months into the sabbatical. The bird and plant lists continue through the summer. He doesn't record (in this notebook, at least) the rest of his journey to the finished product. So many questions remain for me!
Did he have an epiphany that opened the flood gates?
Did he continue to have mighty struggles throughout the entire writing process?
Did he feel he had "a winner" at the end?
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