Stripping away the rose colored glasses of denial concerning my reality. Getting in touch with truth. Reaching out to others in empathy concerning their reality and their walk to truth.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

An enticement to write




“I speak when I cease to be at peace with my thoughts.” Kahlil Gibran

For the longest time Gibran’s words were my mantra and I increasingly seemed to ‘speak’ all the time; I could no longer shut up. My thoughts filled volumes of air space. Some friends and family who had never given attention to their own thoughts gave mine even less. Alas there were few left who understood my ‘need’ for expression; as if I were a balloon and would pop if not gently deflated. Until one day it was suggested that I ‘blog”… put all of my thoughts to flight.

I don’t remember what took me to Zimbio; a portal featuring magazines that individual members creat. Pick a subject and write. So I made a “wikizine’ as they are called and wrote from art to politics. “Remove the Rose Colored Glasses” asked everyone to ‘couple’ with my thoughts and together create something new: an effort at synergy. What I found was that most members dealt with specific subjects while I was allover the spectrum of life. I began to look around for something a bit more enticing until it found me.

It had been so very long since I had written anything other than children’s stories. Today I’m not convinced that I impact anyone, but remain content to have my words grace a few pages. There is a ‘freeing’ for me to see my thoughts, read my thoughts, and give them wings to fly. My hope: I needed them to leave me, allowing more mental space to continue exploring the world around; more emotional space to explore what others’ feel; and more physical freedom to explore thoughts that I once thought too taboo to dare mention. Why? Because I had everything balled up inside of me and this enticement to write became a gift.

Like a new creature living in a far-away cave I only played with leaving my space for years. My space that I was sure was comfortable, yet had it been comfortable I would not be here today. Comfort did not entice me to write. Disappointment in the cave came often and I longed to breach its boundaries; move or be moved. From somewhere beyond my sight a light shone and came to rest within my view. My inexperience with writing and exploring cautioned me while my “National Geographic’s” self pleaded to let others share their world with me. Maybe they too were no longer at peace with their thoughts. I wanted to hear. Their lives were the enticement I needed. Slowly and surely I moved toward the cave’s opening and looked at the majestic ocean that lay before me: its only one wave at a time, one enticement to write. I took a deep breath and swam out to meet the day.

6 comments:

  1. Dear dixie,
    Glad to hear that you get so much from your writing. I think for most of us, at its best, it can be a sort of cathartic experience.
    The end of your blog also reminded me of a few lines from Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (a great African-American novel, if you haven't read it). The lines go something like: "She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes. She called on her soul to come and see."
    I hope you find the comparison flattering, as Hurston is regarded as one of the great African-American authors. Can't be bad, can it?
    Yours sincerely,
    David.

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  2. Keep up the good work.
    I love to read what you write.
    You say what a lot of people can't.
    B.F.F.
    L.R.

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  3. David,
    Zora Neala Hurston is one of the “Top 100 Greatest African American Writers” of all time. Her own personal history is quite amazing! She had a BS in Anthropology; Margaret Meade was one of her students! Your comparison is outrageous. But now I’d like that printed on a T-shirt!! Take care and thank you.
    Most sincerely,
    Dixie

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  4. Hi Dixie,

    Being at peace with our thoughts is an interesting concept. While there may be a few who are, most of us struggle on each day to find an outlet for expression, our creativity and anxiety when needed.

    I have written for years but it was not until I started blogging that I discovered that there was much in me that was left unexpressed.

    There are many gifted writers in the blog world, you included, that always seem to have something to cheer me up or make me think.

    Namaste,
    Roger

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  5. The Buddhist Conservative, Roger:
    Thank you for your kindness and sharing with all. Dixie

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