Why Do We Write?
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If you don’t know who you are, where you are, or what you want anymore, start writing.
Write in a journal. Write letters/emails. Write a daily prayer of gratitude. Write a book. Write a blog. (Either write your own or write on someone else’s.)
Today I want to talk about writing, or I should say, write about writing. Writing saved my life. Writing deeply, thoughtfully, truthfully, and consistently about my life, others in my life, what I know, what I don’t know, etc. Writing saved my soul.
Writing helped me find my sanity. It continues to help me. It helps me to find my voice, my true self, my inner knowing and guidance, my truth, and my wisdom.
I love Nancy Slonim Aronie’s answer to “Why do we write?”
We write to tell our truth.
We write to know who we are.
We write to find our voices.
We write to save the world.
We write to save ourselves.
We write so that when we look back
And see that moment when we are
Totally clear, completely brilliant
And astoundingly wise,
There is proof –
Proof right there on the page.
I write regularly in a journal. I have years and years and boxes and boxes of journals. I often go back and read my journals from 20 years ago. It helps me to remember who I am, where I’ve been and what I really want. One day my daughter will read them and hopefully learn something brilliant and astoundingly wise from her mother.
You, too, know there are times when you are totally clear, completely brilliant and astoundingly wise. But those moments, those memories, can be fleeting. We get busy. We forget. We get distracted. The writing it down part, the physical act of writing or typing and having it recorded is critically important. We need a written record so we can remind ourselves of what we truly know.
Writing is a big part of the work that I do with people. I call it a tool for designing your life. We use many exercises and powerful questions that call on us to write it down. We write about who we are, what we want, and our plans for living. We write in our journals. We email each other. And we blog.
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I really like writing a blog. It feels like journaling outloud. In a blog, we write not only to hear our own voices but to have our voices heard by others as well. We blog to have a dialogue with others. We blog to meet some of the deep human needs for expression, community, and connection. I love that we have this technology to be more connected with each other.
This is the purpose of this online community. This is a place where we ask and answer some of the powerful questions. This is a place to express ourselves, to listen to ourselves and others, to share, to dare, and to grow.
Remember to always be respectful, courteous, and try to be as honest and as heartfelt as you can. Take advantage of this forum to consider the possibilities for your life.
Today’s powerful question:
Where do you write about your life and what do you want/need to be writing about?
We’d love to listen.
6 Responses to “Why Do We Write?”
I write to clear my heart and mind of all the negative thoughs about myself and others. I also write to chart my growth in the area of unforgiveness toward my self and others. When I write it allow me much introspective and less time needing other approval or disapproval of becoming my authentic self.
I have begun to write so my children and grandchildren will have a history. I try to incorporate memories and moments from my past with stories about today. Writing these things about my childhood, my parents and their growing up has made me better understand who I am,why I am and where I hope to go from here.While reading a “real simple entertaining” book i found a page of questions that we need to ask the people close to us this thanksgiving. Gee, first i need to ask these questions of my self.They are really pretty deep.Second thought perhaps i will just choose 4.
Delores, I too find there is so much releasing that happens when I write down bothersome things. I get it outside of my head and my heart where I too can take a long look at it, feel it, process it, and let it go. My chant is “I love you, I bless you, I forgive you, I release you.” Oftentimes, this is said on my behalf. (Sometimes I even go so far as to burn the writing or tear it up to symbolize releasing….)
Linda, I too love writing our history. Would you send me the four questions you’d ask people this Thanksgiving….as you know, I love questions….thanks, Kathy
I would also love to see those questions – I have several of the boxes of questions to pose to guests at a dinner party – it is a great way to ask something that may seem a little intrusive. People like to talk about themselves and their thoughts. I have found out some very interesting things that I would never have guessed about friends whom I thought I knew…
I too (like you Kathy) have boxes of journals. I believe I was in first grade (with horrid spelling) when I was given my first journal, with a blue cloth binding, and pink flowers. I smile when I think of it….years later, and today I currently write in is a gold spiral bound notebook. Some days it’s prayer requests…those are usually the days when I feel overwhelmed, and other days its a simple account of the past week. I used to write poetry, but for some reason have gotten away from that. My writing is about remembering the details of the past-those long ago memories…I still smile (or cry) when I look back and read them. It’s good to remember…
There are times when how I see the world, from which angle, makes me feel out of the “norm” of the majority of the world. I think in feelings, questions and insights. I think more from my heart than most people do so it is nice to read what others say. By putting these feelings and ideas down in print,it allows me to truly absorb and deepen the meanings and insights. I enjoyed blogging and,looking back while writing this, my last entry was in Dec 2008. WOW, how time flies!! You have inspired me to get back to it. Many thanks,
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