Saturday, May 2, 2009
Joy and Pain
Hello all. I've noticed that I have neglected my writing here on my blog and I'm not really sure why. Honestly, I have just been so peaceful and happy lately that I feel I am losing my artistry! Most of my life my creativity has been fueled by pain and anxiety, so what do you write about when life is good? This is just a HORRIBLE dilema! I purchased a poetry anthology for myself that celebrates joy, and it was encouraging for me to read that good poetry can still be "happy." This is a very new thing for me... this happiness stuff... and I'm not sure how it is going to work for me. :-) In all seriousness, I am not naive enough to believe that all of life is this black and white-- there is either misery or joy. There's a large continuum and I am very grateful to be living much of my life these days on the joy end of the continuum. There is actually a place to be found, where one can hold both joy and pain and find contentment in that.
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Hi Melissa, Thanks for following Netwest writers. Your post on being too happy to write reminds me of myself. I've often felt my best poetry comes from pain, grief, and sadness. We read that many of the "great" writers and poets were depressed, alcoholics or suffering in some way. Perhaps that is because so many of us use writing as therapy to try to understand ourselves, our feelings and relationships with others.
ReplyDeleteAs a child who experienced depression I learned to pour out my hurt on paper when adults in my life seemed unable to understand.
However, I've also learned to write in my happiest moments. My husband jokes that if he is really sweet and nice to me, and I'm joyful, I get writers' block.
I like you blog, your poetry and I find your comments regarding mental health counseling extremely interesting.