Taken from the book Writing To Change The World by Dr. Mary Pipher, the following questions are suggested as an exercise to help one find his or her voice before writing. How many of us really know where our voice comes from? I began wondering about mine, and how it has changed over the years, and decided to try a little introspection and answer the questions.
What makes you laugh, cry and open your heart? I laugh easily...at humor that tickles the intellect, at irony and at almost anything my grandchildren do or say.
I still cry, but not as easily as I did when I was young. A man still has the capacity to hurt my feelings or break my heart and bring on tears. Anything that hurts my children or grandchildren will make me cry. Extreme frustration or physical pain, strong emotion (either good or bad) and, of course, loss will all move me to to varying degrees of tears.
Love opens my heart, as well as need. I am a nurturer by nature and open myself easily to those who need me in some way. Love is an important ingredient in my life and I fall in love (too?) easily.
What do you respect most in people? Integrity, tolerence, humility, loyalty...
What do you know to be true? Death for starters. 1) Life is finite, we will all die someday. 2) Everyone wants to be loved. 3) We all search for peace and happiness in our lives. 4) There are many paths to the same goal.
What do you consider to be evil? Hatred and intolerance towards others and towards others' ideas...especially accompanied by violence.
What do you want to accomplish before you die? I want to fall in love one last time. I want to travel...see as much of the country and world as I can. I want to write something worthwhile that others will read. I feel I have already achieved my greatest accomplishment, which is raising two children into good productive adults.
What topics keep you up at night; and help you fall asleep? It is usually emotional issues that steel my sleep...often affairs of the heart, though it can also be related to family problems. I'm not aware of any specific topics that help me fall asleep. Making mental "to do" lists or "want to do" lists usually helps.
What excites your curiosity? Seems like a simple answer...the unknown. A wrapped gift, a mystery, an unfamiliar topic, a stranger, a new place, an unusual custom...
What is beautiful to you? So many things. My grandchildren's faces...their laughter. My children. Witnessing a birth. A bride. The movement of the ocean. A well-written passage. The moon rising over the ocean. My lover's face...or voice (if I have one). A sleeping infant. A perfect flower. A sleeping cat. The list is endless.
What points do you repeatedly make to those you love? I frequently reiterate just how much I love them. I often find myself stressing the need for tolerence of others in society, as well as my opinions on pet social issues.. I also repeat my dismay at finding myself alone at this point in my life...and my desire to find a life partner.
If you were ruler of the world what would be the first thing you'd do? Declare peace, tolerence and love of our fellow man. Wipe out borders.
Imagine all the people living life in peace...
