Purpose
on Feeling Alright is Good, Being Alright is Best (Nigeria), 07/Jan/2015 02:49, 34 days ago
Writing is not easy. It may come naturally and it may be intuitive, but that is only when you are actually able to sit down and eliminate the distractions and convince yourself that yes,thiswriting is important. No,thiswriting does not need to be reconsidered because of it's irrelevant/uninteresting/untruthful nature.Thiswriting is the truest I can muster, the most articulate I can be on the topic of life as I have seen it and it is therefore, not only worth doing, but absolutely necessary.It is the slippery nature of these beliefs that consistently make it difficult for me to write anything substantial. I second guess myself and my truths. I keep wanting my understanding of things to be more complete. I am starting to understand that this is a cop out. I am where I am and that too is a truth.  I am where I am and that is constantly changing and growing. Now is the only time when writing can happen, so I may as well start now.This, I believe, is why many artists can not look at their past work or feel embarrassed when they are made to. It is painful to look at our naiveté, the self righteousness of youth, our idealism, after we have matured, even a little bit. It is like looking at pictures from the 80s.Reading Hemingway has helped me to understand this. How cliche, right? But it's true. I only started to read him when I was in Nigeria and didn't really get what was so great about him. But I am starting to piece it together. What made Hemingway great is what has made all great writers great and that is writing the truth. The truth of a moment or a decade or a generation or a universe. Great writers--great artists, somehow encompass each level in a single work. It is important because it gives contemporary writers/readers a wider perspective of their present situation and thus (hopefully!) empathy . For those that come after, it gives history a pulse, war a conscience and revolution a breeze.Writing is also important as a way of understanding what I think. Many writers have expressed similar feelings. When I write, it is like I am coming up for air. A few words of clarity and conciseness where my consciousness is really present and able to inform me. I find this increasingly necessary when there is commentary after commentary on current events. Response to response to response of whatever is going on. It is helpful to read other people's thoughts too, but that is again, why writing is important!  All of our experiences help to broaden the conversation and reflect the larger truth. I think a lot of the turmoil in the world right now is a direct result of the internet and user friendly social media platforms that have finally brought unique and diverse voices to the table.Recording my own thoughts, trying to figure out what those are exactly, is the only way to ensure mine is included.