I’m not going to spout the pen is mightier than the sword hoopla. I’m going to give an honest and personal explanation as to why writing is so valuable.
Not for the fame or the money, but for the simple fact of staying relatively sane.
A woman by the name of Susan Sontag would argue with me about even having a shred of sanity. To her, “Sanity is a cozy lie.”
I would then proceed to agree with her, because in the end humans are known to have unpredictable bouts of insanity. Making no sense in their actions whatsoever. I say sanity is what we hope to achieve and yet most people are constantly saying they are “losing their minds” whether it be over an exam they just wrote or arguing with a loved one with no rhyme or legitimate reason to justify why the disagreement started. Now ‘losing my mind’ has become more of a saying for the majority of the population. However, what happens to those individuals who truly feel as though they can never quite get ahead, are struggling to make it through everyday and quite possibly want it all to end? What do those people do to cope?
There are a variety of ways to keep going everyday from the most minor to extreme methods. From coffee to drugs or seeing a counsellor to get all the emotions and things pushing a person’s sanity further away; we all have our tricks.
My personal way to cope is by simply writing in a journal. Not everyday, and sometimes no more than a page. I actually have two journals. One for the rants involving stresses of day to day life that build up over time, and the other to document profound, exciting and/or devastating moments in life. Shit happens.
As Forrest Gump’s mother once said, “Life’s a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
I absolutely love that story and movie!
There’s the honest truth about writing. I bet you every creative writer who has ever lived did not simply put pen to paper and come up with a masterpiece. They took their time. Poured their heart and soul into every word. Felt emotion as they wrote the happiness, the tragedy or the excitement as their story unfolded. A fictional story versus a non-fictional story has only one differentiating fact in my mind. The separation of fantasy versus reality. Each style of writing carries some piece of the author. It may be as subtle as a name change for one of the characters who actually has the same characteristics as a very dear friend or the setting is really a place the writer has been to and adds some more imagination into the details. This is how great stories are born. From people taking their deepest fears, daily stresses or zeal for life and sharing it with the world.
I find great satisfaction from writing my own personal story and reading those of others. Mine will never be published but the power behind my words is what keeps me going. I feel better after writing. Like a weight has been lifted and I can continue with a clear head onto the next day.
That my friends is the sheer awesome of writing
Stay classy,
~E
Keep Moving Forward ----->>> 