J9

       I think that writing has a certain power to it that is horrendously overlooked.  I enjoy writing because I can clearly think over what I say and be certain that I am portraying how I truly feel.  I mean what I write, but not always what I say.  It seems to me that I am not alone on this.  I have a friend who, upon getting in an argument with someone, cannot talk to that person for days after the fight.  This friend of mine has to allow herself some time to sort through her feelings in order to prevent her from saying things that she may not really mean. Another friend of mine follows this same policy; however, when she is ready to talk she will write a letter to the person she is arguing with.  It seems to work for both of these women; who by happenstance seem to get in arguments quite easily (and often out of them in the same manner). 

            In what some might call a sweet jam, Kate Nash says “though you try to tell me that you never loved me, I know that you did ‘cause you said it and you wrote it down,” as if writing something down gives it validity.  I think it does.  When it comes to personal thoughts and feelings, I truly believe that writing something down gives it more meaning.  As if, when writing something, there is more permanence to it.  You can see it and it doesn’t go away.  Even if it is erased there still are signs of the once visible words.  The spoken word can easily be forgotten, whereas the written word can be saved forever.

            As a child, I was taught not to believe everything I saw on television. The more credible sources were those that were read.  Newspapers, books, encyclopedias, magazines- this is where we might search for scholarly information.  We tend to believe what we read.  Having that in mind, we also learned that we need to question our sources.  With the influx of information we readily can acquire via the internet, the credibility of sources is a question to always be kept in mind.  I just thought I’d put it out there that this source is one you can trust. 

            Honesty in writing is an important factor.  Being of the generation that was a young/pre-teen when the AOL instant messaging system was new and exciting, my peers and I may not be likely to admit to it, but honest and open communication was so much easier online than face-to-face.   The mask that the computer provided was just enough for people to say things that they probably wouldn’t have otherwise.  The small thrill that pushing enter provided after typing a revealing sentence was, pathetically or not, a reality for our pre-teen selves. 

            I recently received an e-mail from a man I have admired and looked up to since birth, which accurately portrays this ability to openly communicate through the computer.  He told me some things that he himself said he would never be able to tell me in person, and made day (week…month… life?) better for it.  This e-mail got me to thinking just how important writing is.  

            I love writing, but more so do I love meeting people who inspire me to write.  I am constantly going out of my way to try to meet intelligent people who can rake things up in my brain.  Don’t ever let me get content with my thoughts.  I try to become content with my thoughts by writing.  So, essentially, I meet people who can prevent me from becoming content, which leads me to write to try to feel content, until the process starts over again. I guess it’s kind of backwards, but life just seems more fun that way.