So, Why Do You Write?

Someone made the mistake the other day of asking me why I write.

Um.  What?

You don't ask a writer why they write unless you're prepared to get a hour-long reply!  ;)

I condensed my answer as best I could to one small paragraph, but I decided the best way to answer that question was to write a post about it.  Because I've never really thought about how to answer that question.

And it's going to be kind of hard to explain why I write without writing it.  ;)

The simplest way to say it is that I write because I have to.

No, I don't write because I'm forced to, or because my schooling requires it.  I've been writing since I was old enough to form letters into words that made sense--starting with sentences like "The fat cat sat on the rat at 2 AM."

I don't write because I enjoy writing essays and school papers....although I don't hate them as much as some people do.  ;)

I write because I need to.  I write because if I don't, my mind will be overrun with stories and scenarios and imaginings and I won't get any relief or satisfaction until I get some of it out somehow.

I write because I've been blessed with a very overactive imagination.  If I'm not writing something down on paper or on the screen, I'm writing something in my head--whether it be about fictional characters or my own life.

I write because I love words, and I love how there are so many of them in the English language.  One meaning or feeling or sight can be expressed in twenty different words.  I love how certain words sound; how they roll off my tongue.

I write because I can express myself way better (and more eloquently) in writing than I can in speech.  Words flow easily from my fingers, but not so easily from my mouth...I tend to trip over my own tongue at times.  :)

I write because though there are probably a thousand things that go unwritten from my brain, I want to say the things that are worth saying.

I write because writing may just be the way I impact the world.

I write because I can make anything out of nothing when I write.  I can pluck a memory from a dusty corner of my mind and turn it into a living, breathing person, with flaws, strengths, and an incredible story.  I can create a tale out of a single picture.

Sometimes writing is frustrating and exasperating and I feel like everything I write is stupid and not well-written.  Sometimes I get burnt out because what's in my head can't get out on paper the way I want it to, but that doesn't change the fact that it still lives on in my head.

I write because it thrills me to tell a new story, a story that was spun entirely from my own thoughts, something completely original.

And sometimes, I write because I have something to add to what's already been said.

I write because the desire to write has been imprinted into me since I was little.  There are some of us that God chooses before we are born to be writers.  We write better than we talk.  We start out small and then we blossom; we grow out.  We learn and discover and explore and our writing changes and grows and matures as we change and grow and mature.

I guess it all comes down to this: I write because from the start, I was supposed to.  I write because God's given me the desire and the knack for writing.  I write because I need to.

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All images via Pinterest

Psssttt!  Today is my lovely parents' anniversary!  I love these people, and I'm so glad they're my parents!  Happy Anniversary, Mama and Daddy!  :)

God bless you guys and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)

Plot Twist!

Plot twist!

I'm in the hospital.  Which is why I have two posts on my blog today.

I woke up on Sunday with pretty bad stomach pain.  As the day progressed, it got a bit better.  The next morning (today), I woke up and thought it was better--just something that would blow over--but then I ate breakfast.  :P  Pain after eating is a sure sign of pancreatitis, and this was some severe pain.  So, long story short, we called our GI doctor (who is so very sweet and awesome), and got blood work done.  My enzymes are elevated, but not nearly as elevated as they were back in February.

And I went almost six months without a bout....that's a record and we're thankful for it!  :)

Me and my favorite doctor before I was admitted.  :)

Anyway, the pain isn't nearly as bad as it was in February, so we're hoping this will be a short stay.  Prayers would be appreciated!  :)  I'm thankful that nothing big is going on right now--although I wish it wasn't so close to my parents' anniversary!  And I'm thankful that it's not a bad case.  There's a lot to be thankful for!  :)

God bless you guys and have a great day!  :)

Joy :)

Summer 2013!

I have been meaning to post this for a looong time.  Better late than never, right?  :)  Summer is almost coming to a close....but we have about a month left, and I'm not going to rush it!  :)

Prepare for a picture-heavy post.  ;)

I finished school on May 24th and boy, was I happy!  The best part about it was finishing Algebra 1.  Praise the Lord.

We've been having friends over and swimming....

Excuse the goggle marks on my head.  ;)

We went to the zoo.....

They have an exhibition going on right now where you can pet stingrays and small sharks--it was definitely the highlight for me, and for all of us, I think!  :)

It's MELMAN!

The elephants were really neat.  One of them was born in the early 1960's!

Big, grumpy gorilla.

 

 

The Chinese exhibit where the pandas were was, of course, one of my favorite parts.  It's pretty realistic!  :)

 

Camel ride!  It was really rhythmical and easy--not like I expected!  :)

Petting stingrays (their stingers were clipped, of course)....

 

That's my older brother, Colt, in the white cap (his girlfriend Amber is beside him), and my cousin, Trey, in the green/yellow shirt.  :) 

 

A little sibling love.....

We went to a friend's wedding (Samantha and Michael).  It was great.  And we finally got to wear our new sundresses and cowboy boots!  :)

Samantha, the bride, changed into this cute dress for dancing at the reception.  We didn't get a picture of her in her actual wedding dress, but it was really pretty--it was a mermaid style.

Mama's cowboy boots are on the left, mine are on the right.

Sorry for the slightly blurry picture.  :)

Instead of having rice or bird seed or bubbles thrown/blown when they left, Samantha and Michael and the rest of the wedding party/guests released balloons!  It was really cool.  

We went to a carnival.....

  I. Love. Carnivals.  The seven-year-old in me comes out when I see the carnival set up in our town.  ;)

 

I never get sick on rides.  But this made me so nauseous!

 

We've been buying/checking out books at the bookstore, used book sale, and library....

We've visited cousins and cousins have visited us.....

After swimming in the rain.  :)

These two are so close--I love it!

Oh, and there was the 4th of July!  :)  Happy Independence Day....God bless America!  :)

Sparklers

All the girl cousins coordinated with patriotic nails.  :)

A rainbow showed up on the 4th....

My cousin the over-sized leprechaun.  ;)  

We've played many games of UNO.....

We've played some tennis.....

We've gone fishing.....

Aaaaand, I started a volunteer job at the library!  I love the library.  :)  I work in the children's room.  I shelve, mostly, and I've come to take a lot of pride in "my books," as I call them.  ;)

It's been a good summer so far.  :)

CAKEPOPS!  :D

How has YOUR summer been?  :)

God bless you guys and have an awesome day!

Joy :)