I have been nominated for the Gratitude Challenge by the lovely @trucklife-family, who is one of my most favorite people on all of steemit. If you haven’t checked out her posts, you are absolutely missing out. She is an incredibly heart-filled, loving mama who is all about encouraging us to love and appreciate ourselves and our amazing, beautiful bodies. Yes, I’m going to keep that paragraph for all seven days!

When I was in high school, my favorite teacher of all time told me I was a really good writer. I guess I always figured I was pretty good at writing papers and that kind of thing. I have been off and on about keeping a journal. I have never really felt that I needed to write or actually considered myself a writer. I actually never thought of myself as a particularly creative person. Then along came Steemit.

Today I am extremely glad and grateful for writing

This might be the most hipster photo ever. I dated a writer who wrote only on typewriter, though, and it was pretty damn sexy.

Do all writers write? Are all who write writers?

In thinking about this post I was wondering what makes someone a writer. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, I think maybe it’s writing that makes you a writer. I came on Steemit because I liked the idea of it, and of course the idea of making money also sounded good. I was already writing boring blogs for boring companies. Like many of us, I came for the cash and the decentralization and stayed for the community. I felt heard and seen in a way I don’t know that I ever have before. I love the conversations and the exploration of ideas that happens on this platform.

Finding solutions

As I stayed in longer and longer, I began growing as a writer. I also became more attached to what writing does for me. Writing allows me to explore the edges of my ideas. It allows me to flesh things out and fill in the gaps. Then the community comes in to really take it to the next level. We talk about what’s good and what needs more expansion. How can we stretch just a little bit further and a little closer to an exquisite solution?

And coherence

In a certain way I suppose it has always been so. Whenever a serious conversation has to be had, I am much better at doing so with writing. Oh yes, I have authored many a Dear John letter. My brain moves so fast, and I also get easily discombobulated by others’ words and emotions. Writing really allows me to get it all out and make it clear and coherent, not that my writing is always clear and coherent, but it’s definitely more clear than my speech.

Neutralizing the poison

Writing also allows me to share the pain and the darkness, and that has a tremendous impact in neutralizing some of the poison. I have written a good bit, especially lately, about depression. I recently began to make a list of things that help those of us who are dancing with this challenge. After 42 years of not considering myself a writer, I now believe writing is one of the biggest things that helps me to shift out of depression. In particular, writing in this kind of venue where someone else actually sees it helps enormously. Sharing honestly about what is happening is another big piece that eases the darkness of depression. I don’t want to harp on it, but I do need to be honest and get it out. Here again, the community has come forward with so many other helpful ideas of what has helped them in their depression. We share with and support one another.

Share, share, share

I remember many years ago a friend sharing with me that she didn’t write because she wanted to. She wrote because she had to. Keeping it bottled up inside is no longer an option. So, I want to say I’m also super glad for steemit and for all of you that read my words and share your heart, ideas, and thoughts. I believe with all my being that we are evolving solutions to some of our most challenging problems and making the world a better place. The pen is mightier than the sword, indeed, because with our pen, we change hearts.

Much love, y’all!

As always, all pics are mine or pixabay unless otherwise noted.

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