Another Piece from the Writing Class

This was the first piece I wrote on becoming a writer, or at least my experience with becoming a writer. Enjoy.
*****************************************************************

Several years ago I was waiting in a long drive-thru line at McDonalds. It was probably in the low 40s and slightly blustery. When my car was just about parallel to the front door, a man walked out of the restaurant and walked across the parking lot in front of me. As a watched him get into his Ford F-series pick-up truck, I hesitated at first glance, but then said to myself out loud, “Now that’s an image I don’t want to ever forget. That man has a story to tell.” This man wore a neat beard, a cowboy hat and boots. Not too terribly out of place for Leander Texas, 25 miles northwest of Austin. But it was the rest of his apparel that didn’t quite fit with the cowboy boots and hat. In place of jeans was a Scottish tartan kilt, complete with belt, buckle and Sporran. All this accompanied, of course, with the traditional linen shirt to top the outfit off. No added overcoat was necessary.

For me, when it comes to developing the art of becoming a writer, I need to remember the human character. Along with that, noticing the irony, humor, joy, even the sadness in life. No judgment; just recognizing that every person has a unique story, and almost never is it easily what the casual observer would suppose. It’s learning sensitivity to aspects that resonate the human struggle to achieve, to care, to love, to lose, to conquer, and to be ourselves. Case in point. The 2010 Winter Olympics is underway in Vancouver Canada. Twenty-three year-old Hannah Kearney won the U.S.’s first gold medal in the moguls freestyle event. She was coming back from many tough breaks and disappointments. Before her winning race, her trainer gave her a card. The card had a lighting bolt on the cover and inside the card, it read, “25,000 steps climbed, 14,000 jumps on a rope or off a trampoline, 1000 tricks off ramps into a pool of water and 126 hours spent on a bike.”*

My second point to remember: Purpose. Writing should have some kind of intent; albeit, one not to blame, shame or enslave but to educate, encourage, and maybe even, entertain. Lofty goals but well worth it, I tell myself. When I’m inspired and not looking, the words flow. When I know my audience, my fear enables my words to trickle, stumble, break; and thus, I use the excuse of one more online game of mahjongg and then I’ll begin once again. This leads to my third point.

In my donning of a writer’s stance, superstitions abound in finding the perfect introduction, middle and end to my piece. Mind you, even with typing on the computer, a perfectly sharpened pencil with eraser at tip must grace my right side along with pastel colored sticky notes, just in case. I love the energy, excitement and personal eccentricities of writing. The playing in the pattern and rhythm of words often give way to an infused refreshment of thinking, “Wow, I wrote that!” Phrases like, “Living life in desired yet imperfect earnestness.” Fourth reminder: Be honest, and be yourself. Wear your heart on your sleeve but don’t necessarily commit harakiri on the page. Resign from fear and have the confidence to write from instinct. Be also able to learn to forgive and find patience in the process. Perfection of a piece in the first sitting is a rarity. And, it takes courage to admit that the writing was not what was imagined. Like for example with such phrases as, “I hold on to the dignity to survive the obstacles that belabor me with the tenacity of my entire might. Albeit, I later realize that the downside surfaces in my ability to confuse suffering in silence with earnest and compelling humility.” Fancy yes, but did anyone quite get what I just said. Okay, the fourth reminder was a bit over packed. Perhaps, I could sum up this reminder with one pointed remark: Relax and let God’s grace align with my own heart to speak truth with compassion.

*Reference: Passan, Jeff. “A bumpy ride ends in gold for Kearney” Yahoo Sports: http: sports.yahoo.com/olmpics/vancouver/freestyle_ski. Feb. 14, 2010.