We all know we are supposed to develop our talents, otherwise we will lose them, right? Well, one activity that I have been told I have a talent for, and has at least always been an outlet for stress, joy, and just expression, is writing.
In high school I kept a poetry journal. I gave some speeches and things in high school. I've always written in my journal (some periods of my life are more descriptive. :D). In college I was a writing tutor. Letters are so rewarding for me. And yet, somehow, I've stopped writing.
I've recently had some opportunities to tutor various people with some writing assignment or requirement they have for work or for school. Turning on that part of my thinking, and looking at organization, flow, content, relationship between sentences, paragraphs, even words. It makes me so excited!! It got my juices going again and I realized how badly I want to write. Not a novel, mind, you. My sister can take that route (she's even published! Here's her blog and more about her book Perilous).
No, I'm much more a essayist. I just LOVE having a question to answer, a concept to explain, something to expound on that requires some research, some deep thinking, trial and error, revision, revision, and revision. It just does something to me!! I have always loved words and I suppose it's controlling words and implementing them into a pattern and method that I designate so they present the image I want everyone else to see: that's magical. And I'm definitely a sucker for the old-fashioned pen and paper.
So, I've decided to write again. I have a few topics in mind. Some are emotional and sentimental. Some are practical and things that I really do want to know more about, so why not give myself an actual assignment? I can't say I miss school; but I do miss the required expression of thought. I need to be and do better about that. So I am.
Anyone else experience a sort of reawakening in their talent or interest realm? How did you deal with it? What was it?
As a side note, anyone follow the Jeopardy shows with IBM's Watson? Fascinating. Language at the core.
