Writing To Discover

Writing helps us see the world in new and surprising ways. It turns ordinary things into elements of wonder and it diffuses extraordinary things into common experience. The process of writing is an act of discovery. When we write, we go beyond the surface of our lives and delve into the subterranean landscape of our heart. This is where all wisdom resides. Creative endeavor is a path to that inner world. The great artist Pablo Picasso once explained it this way: "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." So, in losing ourselves in our creative pursuits, whether art or writing or music, we end up finding ourselves. We are able to pick up the detritus of human experience, dust it off, and see it again for the shining treasure it is. When writing, we are able to see life through a different lens, one that rises above the pettiness and focuses on the grander vision. Often, when writing, we are able to see things in surprising ways that give us unexpected insights into our own and others' situations. When pursued with intensity and focus, writing can deliver us from the sting of our realities and transform our moments into vessels for hope. So, never give up on writing. Never stop feeding your creative urge. It may be your only path to understanding what a remarkable gift resides inside you.