Writing about writing

I write
not to share or explain
not to justify or argue

I write to explore
to tangle with thoughts
and feelings

I write to know myself

I'm starting a blog. Sorry to state the obvious. And it's not just because it's trendy (although one by one, my friends seem to be joining this online society of babblers and bloggers). I toyed with the idea of writing a book. Actually, this random guy at a mid-winter Christmas party said I should. OK, he'd downed a few beers. But he asked me about my interests and I said;
"Um...well, I like to write"
"Wow that's great! You should write a book!"
I smiled politely. Humoured him.
"No, really!" he said, like he really meant it. "Life is about taking risks!"
"OK, OK! Well, if I do, I'll mention you." I was joking of course, and he thought it was hilarious as drunk people do. But, for some reason, the idea stuck.

So. it's not a book, I know, but it is an attempt to publish, under the "put it in the public arena" definition. And, in keeping with the promise, however un-serious I was at the time, Russell Bacon of the many beers can now consider himself 'mentioned'.

Anyway, I digress. In the weeks following this encounter, I continued in my writing endeavours and eventually worked up the courage to share a few things with my nearest and dearest. And my facebook friends. It's funny, I imagine that sharing your writing is like leaving your child with a babysitter for the first time. You know it's healthy for both of you. But there is an aspect of breaking...breaking a bond, and sharing that which, up until this point, has been your own.

However, I had the growing feeling that my writing was not just for me. Writing is a gift that shines a spotlight on our hearts (cheesy!) . It's an invisible cord that binds two unrelated beings together. You feel it when you read a poem about something you've exerienced, or when the heroine of a novel says exactly what you were thinking.

Finally (against all cliches, I have saved the worst for last) I am lazy about this. Books require work. Lots of work; researching, collating, editing, spell-checking, packaging, sending, asking, recieving, chasing...in my opinion, that is already way too many verbs in one sentence.

So, I will blog. I will, I will, I will. And I don't expect it all to be wonderful, or even all good. The main thing is that I write, and that I share it. Writing is a way to see the world, not just with your eyes, but with your fingers, your memories, your fears and with things that you didn't even know existed within you, truly a way to see with everything you have. Wanna watch with me?