Irony Becomes Her

The change of seasons

Is it time to blog again?

I’ve asked that of myself more than once over the past year and a half. Finally, a surprising combination of circumstances planted something in my mind which has reached seedling stage.

I recently acquired the task of updating a wide network of interested friends on the status of my dad’s health. A month ago, we were all quite blissfully unaware of the growing threat within his brain. Now my family relies daily on the prayers of our good friends and, in return, we offer them updates on how we are handling the journey. I write these updates.

The response to Dad’s illness has been overwhelmingly supportive, but unexpected indeed have been the many comments appreciative of the substance and style of my writing in these updates.

I have long known one of my gifts was that of writing, but since most people expect a “writer” to be a reporter or a novelist, I didn’t prefer to describe myself as such. Trying to explain that my preferred modes of writing are academic writing and creative non-fiction, that I’ve never really liked writing fiction or reading poetry, that I am a good writer so long as I have something original to write about, I can see how dull a conversationalist I would make.

Also recently, Cara, my tried-and-true “writer friend,” read and appreciated the previous posts of this blog, enthusiastically encouraging me to resume the habit of adapting my life’s experiences into observations on truth and faith.

This blog faded primarily because I felt I no longer had the kind of life experiences, nor the perspective on them, which inspired writing worth reading. Try as I might to sit down and produce something of worthwhile reflection and wit, in keeping with my own standards for what I choose to read, the spark would not ignite. I couldn’t write.

Now, even without the admiration of my friends, I realize I have things to write about. They may not have anything directly to do with Daddy and his disease, but his experience has jolted me awake to the wonders of grace and gifts of heaven that prompted at least one writer to ask, “How can I keep from singing?”

How can I keep from writing?

posted by Lynn @ 7:55 AM