Trying to Write Positive

  A writer writes.

When you don’t know what else to do about the world around you, you simply write. I don’t know if it changes anything really, but it seems to be the only thing that helps get from one moment to the next without feeling like the whole world is spinning out of control.

Song writers, poets, journalists, (if there are any true journalists left in the world), bloggers, screen play writers,  and novelists, all write during times when there is just so much building inside of them that it had to go somewhere. That’s what prompted me to start writing, AFTER THE FIRE. I wanted to create something good from all the fear, anger, sadness, and confusion that the fires in Lake County had generated. It would seem I have an ample supply of material to glean from.

I yearn for a simpler time. Right now I worry that even as I am using technology to reach all of you in this blog, that our social media, our news sources, the internet itself, all have brought upon our society suggestive ideas and opportunists have used this negatively to target us in terrible ways.

It’s become a cyclone of terror out there. I keep waiting for it all to pass, yet it seems to be gaining strength. It drains me so much that I don’t even want to know anymore. I use to pride myself on keeping up on current events, but I just don’t even want to know.

I won’t get political here. I don’t think that would help. What I will say though is I am appalled at what some people will do to have their way. None of us ever gets everything we want, but that is no reason to treat your neighbor with disdain or hatred. My father always said, ‘you can’t be rational with an irrational person.’ Then I guess I’m to believe now that the whole damn world is becoming irrational. It is more apparent every day, and it makes me sad.

 One of the characters in Dean Koontz novel, FEAR NOTHING, had said to ignore the great issues of your time, therefore improving your digestion. Ok, I’m paraphrasing since I cannot find the book to quote at the moment, but you get the gist of it. I’ve said this before I’m sure. So recently, I went to Hawaii with my family and tried to ignore all problems for awhile. It worked beautifully!

However, once we arrived home, the Pawnee Fire in Lake County hit and two of my dearest friends were out there, struggling with what I know first hand, to be Hell. Very fortunately, neither of them lost their homes, but sadly, some were not quite so lucky.

Today, I tried to continue the editing of my novel, and am nearly done, but was consumed with the spectacle of thoughts roaming in my own mind, and had to blog about it. Purge the thoughts through my keyboard and maybe I will be able to get back to what is going on in my character’s minds in the book.

So I must remember, that I can only help where I am. I am most certainly not going to be able to stop others from creating havoc in the world, but I will do my best to help locally and especially with my family. I’ll do my little part. I just hope the world isn’t teetering on the brink of something more catastrophic. I think we all could use a little more MR. ROGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, right about now. Or maybe we should all just sit around and listen to THE BEATLES, because all you need is love.

*Photos by me, Patti Diener