OUR WRITER'S JOURNEY

Throughout life, we often ask ourselves these questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is my life's purpose?

Whether we like it or not, we're on a compelling journey just as any protagonist in a work of fiction. Even as we sit doing nothing, we're traveling upon a spinning blue ball around the sun. We're not alone in this particular endeavor, since we're interconnected in so many ways, global citizens existing on a miraculous planet where whatever we say or do affects all living beings.  

As Chief Seattle once proclaimed:

Whatever befalls the earth

Befalls the sons and daughters of earth.

We did not weave the web of life.

We are merely a strand in it.

Whatever we do to the web,

We do to ourselves.

My POV narrator in CHANGED IN THE NIGHT accidentally kills her twin brother on December 7, 1941, and this affects all of humanity. Of course, that's not the only incident on the "day that will live in infamy;" and like events in my story, the cause and effect of everything we've done or ever will do eventually leads to either our ultimate destruction or harmony and peace. 

According to Deepak Chopra, all the intelligence of the universe is really inside us. How empowering is that? The way to establish a connection with this source is through contemplation, meditation, and introspection. 

Many in my journaling workshops are attempting to do just that, to reflect and find a higher ground. Journal writing, after all, can be a form of meditation and provide inner awareness and clarity. 

We need to discover our passion, what we love and are really good at, and do it. It's our fellow travelers who will help us recognize our talents and skills; they act as messengers in our self-discovery. They see us and recognize our potential just as we see them and offer support.

We meet many obstacles along the way, just as our fictional characters do, and how we meet those challenges reveals and shapes us. We should heed each synchronicity since these serendipitous occurrences help clarify our purpose and guide us toward achieving our true potential. 

We're told to follow our bliss or seek our passion. If that creative passion is writing, then we surely must understand our protagonist's, as well as, our own journey. One responsibility as an author is to offer universal truths through story. 

We can only do this through arduous and often tedious work. It takes courage to delve inside our innermost selves, wisdom to create a powerful arrangement of words, and a deep compassion for our fellow travelers in order to become a vital part of this interconnectedness on Earth and contribute in a powerful and meaningful way.