Writing is no morally neutral pastime
or a mere livelihood -- it is a way of life. While those of us with
a passion for recording and sharing words are known to the world as
“writers,” at heart, every human is a writer. All people desire
to express themselves with words, and we all live a story, seeking to
make it the best story we can. The
art of writing is in our very nature. It is a gift given to
us by our Creator, and we are intended to use it well in shaping
lives and influencing the world.
The writer’s mission is not merely to
arrange words in an original and appealing way, but to have an alert
mind at all times, constantly drawing truths from daily life to
incorporate into his work. Writing has tremendous potential to
change lives, both of the audience and the writer. The process of
writing can improve our own
character, compelling us to think deeply about important
issues, to craft stories around morals. We all want to see good
triumph over evil, and as we create that victory in our writing, it
encourages us to seek victory in our own lives. As writers, we have
a responsibility to fill our readers’ minds with thoughts that will
not merely amuse them or distract them from life, but, after they put
down the page, will continue to inspire them to make a better story
of their own daily lives.
Writing
expands our influence in space and time, allowing us to touch
lives in ways that are otherwise impossible for one human to
accomplish. Most of us will never have the opportunity to travel the
world and speak our minds to millions, but through writing, our
thoughts can extend to people we may never meet and places we may
never see. Writing may also
be preserved for centuries. As most of history would be lost to us
without art and written records, so nothing will remain to tell the
world in generations to come of who we were except what we have
created, and no art can so accurately and vividly describe our hearts
and lives as the art of writing.
So, my fellow writers, let us use our
gift to the very best of our ability, not flippantly or frivolously,
but purposefully, with respect to the One who entrusted it to us.
Let us cultivate our own minds so that we can share words to
influence others and change lives for the better, both in this
generation and the generations yet to come!
~Written November 19, 2013