Tuesday, July 19, 2011

This Place of Silence and Solitude

Source
"We've lost our solitude too.  We walk around with electronic leashes clipped to our handbags, backpacks, and belts.  As soon as we get a moment of silence, a moment to think, our hips vibrate or our pockets ring, and the thought is chased away.  I know people who always take the stairs because they're afraid that their pagers or cell phones won't get reception in an elevator.  And while this may be good for the heart, it's terrible for the soul.

"There is a way to fight back--with your pen.  Every sentence you write is a sign of defiance against the undertow of time.  When you write, you aren't just leaking ink onto the page; you are leaving a piece of yourself permanently behind.  And by writing, you carve a small space out of the frenzied, intrusive world and you say, "Hands off!  Not here.  This place is for me."

And it's in this place, of silence and solitude and peace, that you are free to form your own thoughts without anybody else butting in."

-from The Pen Commandments: A Guide for the Beginning Writer by Steven Frank

7 comments:

  1. This is a great quote, and so true. I guess that is why I love writing so much. But I do love writing on the laptop!

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  2. i agree, I'm reading a poetry for dummies book and getting so many fun ideas for teaching and trying...

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  3. Yep. And that is why I love to write.

    =)

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  4. You know, I've been carrying around a pen in my pocket for the past few days now. It's my favorite kind of pen and it is brand new. Why have I been carrying it around? Well, for the aforementioned reasons but also because I feel this compulsion to write. Not only to capture my thoughts and memories but also to bring back my penmanship skills!

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