WHY WRITE?

"Why write? You may as well ask me, 'Why breathe?'"

--Anon.

 

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Why write? Good question. Perhaps the same answer would arise if you asked a different question: Why does an artist do art? Why does a weight lifter lift heavy weights? Actually, the answer to the last question was demonstrated one early afternoon, in my office. I had just met a fellow who wanted to know if I'd be his doctor, in case he had any problems. As he told of his good health, he said, "I'm a weight lifter. I like lifting heavy things," which he demonstrated during this little oration, by lifting up my metal desk with one hand.

Why write? "Because I like to" is a true and simple response, albeit incomplete; some folks just have to, there's a certain compulsion, an itch that must be scratched. Or, as with my weight-lifting patient, "Because I can and because it's fun." Perhaps there's also an element of, "I wouldn't feel fulfilled or complete without writing."

There's another angle, one that only dawned on me this autumn (2012): "I write because I am created in the image of God, the creator of all...and when I create something, I am obediently acting in the image of my Father!" Yes, our creativity may be an act of worship!

Created anything lately? Want to? Go for it...creativity is natural for us, and it is a gift of God (sadly, I believe that our educational system does an excellent job of stomping out creativity. Uniformity of outcomes, the one right answer, sitting quietly and raising your hand...not gonna maximize creativity, IMHO.)

Nuts to that...let's focus on the positive side. The Bible is full of creativity--look at all of King David's poems, the Psalms, and all those fascinating tidbits of wisdom by Solomon Davidson in his Proverbs. He makes Poor Richard's Almanack look as deep as a puddle!

Go forth and create! You have the full backing of the Father, accompanied by the mind of Christ (1  Corinthians 2:16), and you are fueled by the Spirit of God (John 14: 26--But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.) And God said, "Let there be male and female, creative lads and lasses whom I have created IN MY IMAGE..." [David's paraphrase!]


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You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get." Michael Phelps.
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