dailyprompt

On track train of thought, finished sentences

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Daily writing prompt
What do you enjoy most about writing?
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In response to this prompt, I started thinking about how when you have a group of people conversing, you inevitably have those overlaps where two people talk at once, or someone interrupts another. You don’t always get to finish what you were saying.

Other times, the subject veers suddenly elsewhere before you add what you were going to say about the current one. You usually just let that comment go if it’s not that important to bring the subject back to it. Sometimes you lose your train of thought when waiting your turn to speak or when the subject changes, and the thought is gone like a fart in the wind. Don’t you hate when that happens? Probably happens more to the over 40 folks. Am I right?

Sometimes you have the really gabby person that doesn’t let anyone else get a word in, always talks about themselves, and then they change the subject. I have a certain family member like that. Fortunately, most people I talk to are pretty decent and I have learned to add more than I once did. I was very quiet when I was younger.

So, this isn’t meant as a complaint list about how well people converse or socialize. Its about the ability that writing gives you to take an inspiration or idea, follow the train of thought and flesh out the details. And you can do it all without interruption or vying for attention. (Unless your own thoughts get ahead of you and you have trouble focusing, as can happen when a really big idea hits you and you get all excited. Like when your writer’s block on that story or script finally breaks.)

I think for introverts, it’s also less distracting to write than to talk it out. You become one with the keyboard, or pen and notebook, whatever your medium of choice is. It may be easier to enter the zone for some of us introverts, when we write. We’re used to being alone with our thoughts.

It’s a direct outflow of ideas and creativity. It can be very cleansing, especially when writing just for yourself, like a journal. Perhaps that’s the most enjoyable form of writing because you don’t have to worry about any pushback, opinions, or offenses. (Unless someone invades your diary, but then how are they going to complain about something you said, right?)

Perhaps the worst part of writing is facing a blank page, but tonight’s page filled right up after a moment of thinking, thanks to this prompt. Whatever form you enjoy, keep writing!

Fate is blowing in the wind

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Daily writing prompt
Do you believe in fate/destiny?
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Do I believe in fate? Yes. And no. I believe the major points in life, or at least our overall purpose, is influenced by fate, but not necessarily written in stone. There are infinite possibilities that the path of life can take us on, but some things would come about no matter what path plays out. I think Forrest Gump said it best in the scene where he’s talking to his dead mama at here grave. He says he doesn’t know if we all have a destiny like Lt. Dan says or if we’re all just kind of floating on the wind. (Remember the feather in the opening and closing shots?) Forrest says, “I think, maybe, it’s both.” A combination of fate and making our own way as we bump into each other along the way.

That’s where I stand. The blended destiny of influence and effort. It’s like when people experience tragedy or loss. You can’t control what happens to you, but you can choose how to react. That makes all the difference.

In the same way, other people can influence you for better or for worse. That influence can be direct and invited or manipulative and unwanted. You can choose to let them in or shut them out. To let them change your mind or ignore them. To proceed as planned or change course. Sometimes the result is the same no matter what you do. Maybe that’s fate.

It’s hard not to talk about fate vs. making your own destiny without at least touching on the question of God. Most people believe in some concept of a higher power, whether it’s the traditional view of a masculine God in trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost, or something more abstract: The Universe, a universal force, or the collective unconscious. I grew up in a Christian family and have gone to Christian protestant or Christian non-denominational churches throughout my life and I’m comfortable thinking of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I am not threatened or offended by other beliefs, though. When someone says something like “the Universe is pushing me to do this” or the Universe made that happen, I’m okay with that. I prefer to think of it as God and that the Holy Spirit works and moves within our souls, but what’s important is that there’s some connection that runs through us all on a spiritual plane. In other words, in our souls.

And yes, I think that spiritual realm influences our place in the world and the path our lives take. But we affect it as well. God gave us free will. We aren’t brainless automatons who have no choice but to do God’s will. We can listen to Him or go our own way. And He gives us freedom to explore and forge our path. But there are inevitabilities in life that we have no control over, like death. We all grow old and die and sometimes we lose people before they get old. That can certainly shape our lives one way or another. So again, it comes down to how we react to life’s situations.

Another big area of influence on our lives is who we let into our world. I think it’s, again, a blending of destiny and action. We may meet a friend or significant other who have a profound influence on us, for good or ill. It can mean the difference between success and failure, ordinary or extraordinary, or contentment and unrest.

So, what’s the answer? I guess it’s to keep moving, trying our best to grow and develop as a person, to choose wisely who we walk with and be ready for whatever Life, or Fate sends our way. Do the best with the cards you’re dealt.

Mark = Strong Defender

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I’m using the Word press prompt for the first time. The meaning of my name according to a bookmark I got in Sunday school as a child and still have in my Bible, is “strong defender”. I’ve seen variations of this in many different sources but that seems to be the general consensus.

I think it’s fitting because I’m blessed with an abundance of inner strength that has gotten me through many tough times and helped me be fiercely independent and relentlessly resilient. (a little alliteration, lol)

The defender part of the bookmark’s definition fits too because I’ve always been more prone to defend than to criticize. I’m also slow to be judgmental. ( Most of the time. I’m only human. ) I’ve often stood up for people when others are putting them down or even ganging up on one member of a group in fun.

I’m a very loyal friend/brother/son/classmate/employee/etc. It’s interesting that the Scottish coat of arms for my grandmother’s maiden name bears the motto “This I’ll Defend.” Another defensive strength reference.

I hope I can continue to find the strength to be positive and defensive of humanity these next few years. I’m definitely going to call out injustice where I see it but also keep seeing and writing about the good in this world. I promise to try. I hope that change and possible turmoil brings us closer together rather than further divide us, as we realize we’re all in this together. We’re all just trying to get by, to love and be loved and have a little fun when we can.

Let’s try not to lose sight of that.

Daily writing prompt
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
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