Finding Your Voice

 
I received an email yesterday from an old friend of mine. This friend is very important to me as they have waled with me through many valleys of death. They have shown me compassion and hope when there was no on e else there. Even took me for a burger in a red convertible to ease the pain. Amazing what a drive in the country can do.
My friend started a blog. Forgive me my friend as my first reaction was emotional, “What could my friend possibly have to say in a blog?”. How totally selfish of me. Then I thought about it, and I hope I haven’t offended my friend completely already. I told them, in email that I am excited to read the blog and I’m excited to see what they have to say when they find their purpose and their voice.
My own journey in writing my blog has been “interesting”. A self serving journey made public to garner sympathy?, maybe in the beginning.. A place to vent and dis those that had hurt me in the past, mmm, no. If I wan’t to slander someone I’d slander them openly. Not naming names and kissing and not telling is a way of separating people the events and the issues so the important bits can be deconstructed and discussed.. If I’m annoyed at you and my writing at Microsoft should be a good point I’ll be open about it.
Writing a blog transforms you. I bet writing in general transforms you. A blog or writing might start out with silly little things about silly little things. Good grief I look back at some of my early posts and I’m sometimes aghast at what I wrote. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn’t take any of my posts off of the blog. The journey to find my message to find my mission my purpose my voice is very enlightening to anyone who has been following or who may read this in the future. Perhaps a long slimy trail of horse shit but if you’re reading or still reading it can’t smell that bad.
I had an experience recently that changed me as a person a writer a commentator as a blogger. It was like God sat me down and said now can’t you see why this happened or that happened. Can’t you see why I gave you these gifts and these tasks. I’m still not ready to go through the door. The change at this point doesn’t seem radical but a month ago I would never have seriously considered it.
My blogging journey continues. I am finding my purpose and my voice. Its awesome!!!, now the hard part execution. A month ago I would never have considered that when I was writing about blindness I was writing about people with disability. When I started drafting pieces in the context of disability it started to occur to me that I was really writing about everyone. To truly be at peace with my disability I’ve had to dig into the human condition and understand what it means to be human. No quick answer there yet though. I have pieces in draft that I think are pretty cool, earth shattering probably not. Maybe just maybe if I’m lucky though I’ll contribute in my commentary of the human condition some twists and tweaks that might make something make more sense for someone else.
As I’ve, God I hate this word, “matured” as a writer as a commentator I have begun to understand the importance of language and having language to express ones thoughts ideas hopes beliefs and dreams. I am profoundly excited to watch my friend in their journey I look forward to hearing their message and their voice in the language they find to express themselves.