on writing

What is it about writing that captures me?

In the past, I would spend hours staring down a blank page wondering what I could write about that hadn't already been stated before a thousand different times, in a thousand different ways. I would stall as my desire to write would evolve into blankness, stuck on trying too hard to find something original. There were many fits and starts. I joined a writing group which turned out to be a de-motivator and actually zapped me of my confidence in my ability for a long time.

Still, I continued to make lists of story ideas which would lead to writing a paragraph or two, but then the impetus would leave me as soon as I started second guessing the validity of my creative attempts. I'd also hear a story that would spark my interest enough for my brain to register it as fodder. But, nothing substantial materialized. It remained as an idea............a thought bubble. This went on for years.

If I had to describe the genre of writing that intrigues me the most, it be would encapsulated under the theme of "real life." I like the people stories......the regular folk who all have a fascinating tale to share, whose originalities speak to me. I love trying to describe their daily struggles of growth and learning from my observational and interactive perspective. Sometimes I write about a human being whom I have met during my daily travels and who has touched me in some way. Other times, I write about the people who are closest to me. When I'm in the midst of writing a life story, I lose myself in the process. The words seem to lead me.


So, why did my creative tap finally start flowing? It was time. The desire to share the stories I had collected and finally reaching a point where my interest in spirituality returned fed me the words. Very quickly the process of writing began to stir my emotions, and my creative side. It has allowed me an opportunity to reflect and to focus on capturing what was on my mind.

The discipline is truly a spiritual one because it has taken me into wells inside me I had never acknowledged before. Once I realized that the word flow taught me how to unravel my observations, my feelings, and my thoughts in a manner that seemed to integrate them with who I am and how I became that, I was hooked.

Writing about life journeys feeds future journeys. It fills my cup of life with new perspectives and it empties my cup of life when I share it. When I drink it all in, I am able to acknowledge the tapestry that makes up original me.........the pain, the frustrations, the celebrations, the joy and the sorrows, and the many many blessings. Finding the words..........sharing the words.......sipping the wine from my cup and sharing my cup with you............taking the time to be silent and still in solitude as I write strengthens my faith.


Writing is teaching me how to pray.