What moves you?
What moves you? I mean, what REALLY moves you and drives you? Is it a hobby? Is it a sport? A certain relationship? A job title? We all have something that we strive for, something that we consider a lofty goal and the "ultimate stepping stone," when we can say "we have arrived." Without goals and ambitions, this life would not be as fun to live, now, would it? It would be utterly depressing to expect our span of years to reach 70 plus but not have any goal to be reached within that time period, before we leave this earth to head towards eternity.
The recent discussions my husband and I have had about how brief life on earth really is has spurred me towards thinking more about this subject. The recent decisions we've had to make regarding life insurance and a last will and testament are difficult, yet necessary, decisions to make if we are to ensure that our loved ones won't be left with more of a burden than necessary when we're gone to be with the Lord. Having a baby will also set your sights on the more-than-temporal aspects of life. You now have a little one who's depending on you for everything.
So I have recently begun delving into what really moves me as Meg. I have found the answer to be two-fold. Even though I would love to consider myself one who would be pretty good in the psychology field one day, I have to admit that it does not MOVE me. Just because you're knowledgable about something doesn't mean it is your passion.
Really, what moves me is writing. Thus the outlet of this blog. Thus the start of my autobiography recently. Thus my strict adherence to pen-and-paper greeting cards and letters to friends instead of lengthy emails or e-greeting cards. To me, writing is an art that is being threatened by technology in many ways, and I am fighting to maintain its simplicity and beauty.
Why do I know that this one thing moves me? Because I think about it all day long. I drive down the road and see the signs of spring...and I immediately think of how I should use spring days like this to write parts of my life down that include memories of this particular season. I think about writing friends when their names fleet through my mind. I hoarde stationery like a packrat when I see a clearance sale.
I have bookshelves and boxes full of diaries and "short stories" I composed from the age of 7 onward. And not until recently did I list "writing" one of my hobbies or passions. Denial, maybe. But more likely I did not realize until this year that writing is legitimate, a pure and honorable pasttime, and perhaps for some, profession.
Where the "two fold" comes in is in the fact that I write for two audiences....for myself, and for others. I write for therapy....there is no better way to get something off of my chest than to articulate it into written or typed words. And for others? My dream is that my writing can touch others' souls, lift their spirits, brighten their days, inspire their creativity, cause them to think about things they've never considered. I hope others can read about my life and say, "So I'm not the only person who's gone through that." I hope others can say, "It's nice to hear what I've been feeling for so long put into understandable language." There is no greater compliment than that. Even if I never hear about it, just the mere thought that this may be occurring is more than enough to fuel my writing engine.
I also write for others because I feel that it is a way that I can minister. I am no eloquent speaker, nor am I a flagrant encourager who shouts well-wishes to all from the rooftops. Yet I can show my love, concern, care, and appreciation for others through my writing (and through my kitchen, too, which is another passion of mine, a whole other story for another time). I thank God that He has shown me that I can make a difference even though I am not front-row, center-stage (rather that I finally decided to open my eyes to see what had been there all along).
So embrace your passion today. It will help heal you, it will help inspire others. And it could even help draw others into the Kingdom.
The recent discussions my husband and I have had about how brief life on earth really is has spurred me towards thinking more about this subject. The recent decisions we've had to make regarding life insurance and a last will and testament are difficult, yet necessary, decisions to make if we are to ensure that our loved ones won't be left with more of a burden than necessary when we're gone to be with the Lord. Having a baby will also set your sights on the more-than-temporal aspects of life. You now have a little one who's depending on you for everything.
So I have recently begun delving into what really moves me as Meg. I have found the answer to be two-fold. Even though I would love to consider myself one who would be pretty good in the psychology field one day, I have to admit that it does not MOVE me. Just because you're knowledgable about something doesn't mean it is your passion.
Really, what moves me is writing. Thus the outlet of this blog. Thus the start of my autobiography recently. Thus my strict adherence to pen-and-paper greeting cards and letters to friends instead of lengthy emails or e-greeting cards. To me, writing is an art that is being threatened by technology in many ways, and I am fighting to maintain its simplicity and beauty.
Why do I know that this one thing moves me? Because I think about it all day long. I drive down the road and see the signs of spring...and I immediately think of how I should use spring days like this to write parts of my life down that include memories of this particular season. I think about writing friends when their names fleet through my mind. I hoarde stationery like a packrat when I see a clearance sale.
I have bookshelves and boxes full of diaries and "short stories" I composed from the age of 7 onward. And not until recently did I list "writing" one of my hobbies or passions. Denial, maybe. But more likely I did not realize until this year that writing is legitimate, a pure and honorable pasttime, and perhaps for some, profession.
Where the "two fold" comes in is in the fact that I write for two audiences....for myself, and for others. I write for therapy....there is no better way to get something off of my chest than to articulate it into written or typed words. And for others? My dream is that my writing can touch others' souls, lift their spirits, brighten their days, inspire their creativity, cause them to think about things they've never considered. I hope others can read about my life and say, "So I'm not the only person who's gone through that." I hope others can say, "It's nice to hear what I've been feeling for so long put into understandable language." There is no greater compliment than that. Even if I never hear about it, just the mere thought that this may be occurring is more than enough to fuel my writing engine.
I also write for others because I feel that it is a way that I can minister. I am no eloquent speaker, nor am I a flagrant encourager who shouts well-wishes to all from the rooftops. Yet I can show my love, concern, care, and appreciation for others through my writing (and through my kitchen, too, which is another passion of mine, a whole other story for another time). I thank God that He has shown me that I can make a difference even though I am not front-row, center-stage (rather that I finally decided to open my eyes to see what had been there all along).
So embrace your passion today. It will help heal you, it will help inspire others. And it could even help draw others into the Kingdom.
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