In my rather pensive moments (which seem to happen more and more frequently with each passing year), I occasionally lament over all the stories that will never be written.
When I'm walking down the street and two squirrels begin chattering and chasing each other, I can't help but think, "Now that's a great starting point for a children's book."
And when I drive or ride in the car, I muse about the people in the vehicles around me. Aren't they all vessels filled to the brim with story "kernels"?
At cemetaries (especially very old ones), I see each grave site as the resting place for a lifetime of stories.
Sadly, most of the stories in the world will simply vanish into nothingness before they can be ensnared by poets, authors, singers, artists and storytellers. There can be no way of putting all of life's magical and mundane moments in jars to shelve them until they can be told.
They are simply gone.
Consequently, I spend a large part of each day trying to be more observant. I fill scraps of paper with ideas that may or may not turn into essays, blog postings, articles and stories. Someday, a few of them will be written. The rest will return to dust.
On this Monday morning, I encourage you to open your eyes, ears and heart to the world around you.
Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, you'll capture a story or two that otherwise would have floated away, undiscovered.
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6 comments:
I so emphatically agree with this post. I am constantly saying to my husband, "Someone should write about that ..." or this, or whatever. He always asks me, "Why don't you?" There are just so many things in simple day-to-day life if you just look.
Very poignant. I too feel the loss fading away into the dirt.
Let's just not have people say the same about us. Let's get our stories out.
I agree with Jason and Beth. But the cynic in me today who will never catch up on reading, never mind writing, also says: who has the time to read all the stories already written?
I often carry a small exercisebook and a pen with me - just in case.
But more often than not, I'd say: who the hack is going to read through all that .... I write? who am I?
When calmed down, I reassure myself that even if I'm the only one to read 'my things', it's worth it. I will either like it or not. If I like, the better. If not, I might learn from my mistakes.
Chances are that I define a wrong piece as good, but well...I take that chance.
Beth ~ I struggle with that every day. I always want to tell so many stories... but, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day!
Jason ~ I agree and I think that blogging definitely helps get stories out into the open.
tiv ~ That's kind of funny... I never worry about who is going to read them all! Geez... you bring up a good (if somewhat skeptical) point! :)
comment deleted ~ Now I'll always wonder what was written here...
Szelsofa ~ It's always worth it, I think. Keep jotting those observations down!
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