After many months of not writing, I feel compelled to start writing again? Why?
Many other writers start and stop again, I’m sure. Many others have long periods of writer’s block–dry spells. What is it that compels us to come back and start over–to start writing again.
Since I last wrote, there have certainly been some changes in my life. I’ve decidedly retired (probably the most significant). A change in my way of life, in my daily activity. Just about everything in my daily routine has certainly changed. I’ve developed a couple of new habits I think–journaling in the morning; walking my dog, PJ (again first thing in the morning); a morning meditation.
This last habit or practice has been a big change all on its own. At one time, not too long ago, I used a phone app to practice my morning mindfulness meditation. After flip-flopping around for several days (Do I use an app, or do I not use an app? Do I use some sort of a stand alone timer? How much should I spend? Should I find a “guru”?), I finally stumbled on a solution.
This past weekend, my sweetheart and I visited friends in Victoria, Canada. When I’m in Victoria, I usually go to Russell Books, a long-time bookseller in Victoria. They’ve moved, upgraded their store and their selection, but it’s still good, ol’ Russell Books.
When I was in this last Saturday, I was browsing like I usually do. I found a little package (it might have been a gift package) that contained some Buddhist prayer or mala beads and a little instruction book on how to use them. One of the traditional uses for the beads, I found out, is as a tool for meditation. If you are focusing on the breath (my usual object of focus) you count each breath or each cycle of breaths, one on each bead. I typically breath a cycle of ten breaths, and then move on. So, for each cycle of ten breaths, I advance one bead on the mala strand. Easy! No timer, no app! I’m free!
Back to the title of this article for just a sec–Why Write? This simple question is currently posted on the whiteboard in my home office. As I’ve been puzzling through my meditation quandary (phone/no phone, timer/no timer), I’ve also been considering this question on my whiteboard–Why Write?
Just for hellery, I did a quick Google search. I was not able to find anywhere, why people write! Is merely a compulsion, another daily habit? Is it something that’s done by design, to earn income, for instance? But, what a great project! A catalogue or book, of why (and therefore perhaps how, people write. What a great opportunity to contact and converse with other writers, about the craft!
I will let you know in the coming weeks, how this project is going. I will also let you know how my new meditation tool (the mala beads) are working.