From Where I Write...

 

Hi,

Over the years, I've been asked, on a few different occasions, where the urge to write comes from. I took a minute to think about it...

From where I write is quite tiny and quaint, filled with soft light and whimsy, family photos and favourite things, a comfy chair and memories.

From where I write is, sometimes, light and silly, about things that live on the surface, that bring a laugh or a giggle. Things that are simply fun and bright, because that's the space, in a perfect world, in which we would live most of the time.

From where I write is a place of caring. There are far too many people walking this planet in genuine doubt if anyone even cares if they exist. There are too many who never feel a real hug, never feel doted upon, never feel cherished, never feel like they are the world to at least one other person. We can do better.

From where I write is, sometimes, dark and angry, overwhelmed and dumbfounded by the injustice that certain factions of society want us to normalize. The unfettered insanity that is happening south of the 49th, the stupidity coming out of the mouths of people who apparently don't have the ability to apply logic and reality to any given situation. 

From where I write is, sometimes, a place of sheer sarcasm. The thing is, when my writing comes from this space, I mean... when people can't seem to recognize stupidity and hypocrisy, what else is a person to do?  Is it a coping mechanism? Probably. Does it piss some people off? Most definitely. Do I care? Not even a little. I threw off that part of my give-a-shit sometime in my 30's

From where I write is a place of heartache. For everyone living through horrific circumstances that have been thrust upon them by either mother nature, or some man-made hell that is inevitably driven by greed, greed of power, greed of money, greed of ego. People... people, not statistics, are in incredible pain. We've been made to believe that such pain is inevitable, unavoidable, unfixable. Complete and utter bullshit.

From where I write is a place of hope. Every time I see a Pride flag wave in a space where it wouldn't be expected. Whenever I see true and respectful inclusive representation in public forums. Whenever I see people standing up against cruelty. Whenever I witness simple acts of kindness when they think no one is watching. 

From where I write is a place of endless possibilities. I look at future generations, and I see compassion, I see acceptance, I see innovation, and brilliance. If every kind of education could just be pulled from the shelf of privilege, and spread amongst all who have the aptitude and desire... well, wouldn't that be something. 

From where I write is a place of knowing that if I can't put it in the pages, my soul will overflow. Stories are everywhere, if you just pay attention. If you write with purpose, whether fiction, folly, or other, someday, somewhere, one of these words that are put to a page will make someone feel something, think something, or look at something in a way they maybe hadn't felt, thought of, or seen in that way before. And... that's the point.

I can only write from where I am.

I can only write from who I am. 

I've learned from who I used to be, and always strive to be better than I am in this moment. 

It's all I can do.