In
considering the now old-fashioned use of maps, connections can be seen
with a writer's writing journey, and, even, life journey. I suspect
creative individuals often map out writing projects, the broad strokes
of life, and navigate with a internal sense of north. Inside is an
innate GPS system that is faster than the one in the car. Veering off
the well-traveled roads, writers look for unexpected opportunities. Sometimes whatever just happens. And
so, writing goes. Characters suddenly voice a new direction and the
story becomes more layered. Life seen in the rear-view mirror reveals
itself in all it's many layers. Decisions made, or put off until,
hopefully, the obvious is seen. The choice to follow the internal
compass, look for the unplanned, and to respond on a dime,
could describe a writer and the act of writing.
It
is interesting to contemplate how some use maps, I'm visualizing the
folding kind, and some people go along waiting at each intersections for
some kind of sign to show the way. Or worse, for a droning voice to
tell one which way to go. Life and writing in a one step at a time
process. One gets somewhere, but are all destinations equal? Is this the
difference between those who can see the so-called big picture most of
the time and those waiting for an external solution? Or, maybe, it is
only the feeling of flying that is different.
Just
wondering while writing a poetic triptych. Three poems with rusty
hinges holding onto each lyric mural. The anthology deadline looms for
the second panel. The turns in the lines have been slow in revealing
themselves as the story is running in real-time. Emotions are close. The
journey is life.
