The Reasons I Write

Writing can be a chore. As someone who wishes to become better at his craft this is a poor attitude indeed. I believe that it is important to be honest. Deciding what to post is not always easy. I tend to concentrate once a week on my other Dan Kravitz blog. There I have a clear-cut goal of writing objective articles. Here I may write based upon any number of styles and purposes.

There are times I wish to inform the reader. I offer advice or information that hopefully serves some useful purpose. Christine has taught me that people take advice better if it is offered softly. This means that most adults do not like being told what to do. We would rather believe that an idea was ours originally or that we would have thought of it ourselves eventually.

Some of my thoughts seem philosophical in nature. These posts come from some idea that has been bouncing around in the nether-regions of my mind. I see the world through the eyes of an artist. Some might say a poet due to the style of of my musings. This is not my ego talking. There are just some aspects of existence that I ponder and then write about in hopes of developing some level of understanding.

Current events bring out the social-commenter in me. There are some events that occur in which I cannot remain silent. I feel strongly about the subject and hope that I can add something useful to the discussion. Too often the only opinions you hear are so extreme they would be laughable if it were not for the seriousness of the speaker. Divisive issues divide the public but knee-jerk reactions help no one.

Considering everything it is a wonder I write at all. There is so much distraction in my life that I tend to let this blog fall through the cracks. I have to wonder though what the point is after all. What is most useful to most is to read words that are uplifting in nature. We all, from time to time, need to hear kind words that pull back the curtain of sadness. Getting past my own problems makes this task so very difficult.

What I wish to do most is only impossible if I see it as such. I have decided that my whole point in writing, besides honing my craft, will be to offer words that encourage and even offer hope. This will take work. It is not always easy to see the sunny side of life. But doing this will force me to see the positives in my own life despite my personal pain. What I need, what we all need, are positive thoughts that lead to positive outcomes.

I may still comment on day-to-day happenings or post some bits of personal philosophy. No matter what I write about the end result will be that the reader will feel empowered as they see that no situation is hopeless. We may feel that what we experience is new and different but we are far from alone. Much of what humans think and feel can be related to countless others. No one is truly alone in the grand scheme. Sometimes the room just seems too quiet and our own voice may echo back at us. Believe me when I tell you, gentle reader, we are all together in this thing called life.

To Light The Way

Our path is not always clear. We all go through life trying to attain goals. As we come to so many forks in the road we do our best to make right decisions. The tools at our disposal may be limited. Intellect, instinct and past mistakes all help to guide us to, what we hope will be, the best outcome. Sometimes these things are not enough and we must look toward others to light the way.

Throughout history there have been famous names. These individuals have been recognized for their humanitarian efforts. Although we may be inspired by their stories these are not the people that directly affect us. What they accomplished was on such a grand scale that most of us cannot truly relate. I believe that it is the everyday person that adds value to our lives.

We interact with them everyday. There is the person who hands you something you dropped. On the road we find the good samaritan who will let us into the lane. Others bring even more benefit to our lives. Acquaintances offer us good advice borne from a quick conversation. Even strangers might notice our plight and offer invaluable assistance. My point is that it is the everyman that helps us without us ever realizing it.

I see these human beings as shining lights. They help to illuminate parts of our path as we travel. Some may call them angels but my view is more grounded. There are those whom are special and they are dispersed throughout the world. They are like lanterns whose inner glow helps to stave off the darkness that threatens to engulf us. Bad people make bad things happen. Life has always been, in some basic sense, about the struggles we face daily. This is why I am thankful for these bright spots we encounter when we most need them.