It seems ironic to post for the first time in over a year on the importance of writing. I recognize that after a long hiatus, I probably do not have many readers left. In fact, the only posts that I carried over to the new website are professional in nature, so this constitutes a fresh start.
My break from writing has not been limited to the blogs. I have not written a full essay, story, or position piece in a similar period. Frankly, I have been so busy with the past year’s numerous challenges that I have done little more than work and rest…and ride my motorcycle (mostly to work).
Over then past couple of months, I have noticed a frightening trend: I no longer have nearly as many creative insights, and tend to stay surface level when exploring new concepts. I firmly believe that this is the direct result of my lack of writing. If this continues, I may be doomed to a life of status quo. Unacceptable! And so, I hope to begin to write again, publicly at first to force the issue.
A good place to start, I believe, is to identify the very things that I have been failing to experience over the past year:
- The ability to create situations that do not exist in the real world, and see how I would respond to the smallest of details. In other words, simulate a course of action when a decision is unclear.
- The ability to influence people that I do not necessarily know personally- to make an impact for the sake of the impact, not for a larger purpose.
- The ability to cast a broad net in discussions about disability services and other issues close to my heart.
- The ability to write in first person.
- The ability to (following the advice of Orwell) create a complex character, put him in a setting, and see how he reacts.
- The ability to write a long diatribe to someone who has irritated the Hell out of you, without hitting “send.”
Let’s see where this goes.