This week while I measured and cut a thousand times making flashcards for the team I work with a teacher down the hall read a story to his class. Maybe his door was open, probably not. The man can project. But while I counted and cut, I smiled and kept smiling because he was creating memories. He was cementing his presence as a teacher who loves teaching and I cataloged him for my writer shelf alongside my eighth grade math teacher who told my mom not to worry about my grade. "She'll get it."
It got me to thinking about the rest of the memories on my shelves. A hoarder of feelings and senses ready to be dusted off and carefully held in a story of my choosing I sometimes feel like I should come with a disclaimer: I will collect you in some way. Sorry.
By mat Walker from Brighton, UK (Video archive) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By mat Walker from Brighton, UK (Video archive) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
" I will collect you in some way. Sorry."
ReplyDeleteI get your point, Robyn. I think it's a writer's attribute that we cannot avoid. Maybe it's our curious nature or the need to gather info, get inspired and later sit down and blend all those stuff we collected together so we'll create a whole new story.
I cheer to that!
Have a beautiful month!
I think we can't help ourselves because even the bad stuff makes for a good story.
DeleteHey I thought of you yesterday when I took an unknown path that wound and wound until I hit some train tracks. I remember last year you talking about that on your blog, getting off the bus and going off on a little adventure.
I hope the writing and editing are taking flight!
That's fantastic! It makes a lot of sense to collect quirks, personalities, and circumstances along the way.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I don't mean to do it. I hope you're having a great fall. I'm sure it's crazy busy! Do things ever slow down?
Deletebwahahahaha I love that you collect people, Robyn. In our lives, we come across such a variety of folks...some good, some not so good...but they leave impressions either way. That you collect them enables you to create robust, complex, and incredible characters that go on to enrich others' lives in some way. (or at affect, if the character is a baddie) No apologies required. It's almost like paying it forward. :D
ReplyDeleteAw, I never thought of it like that, but that's real nice. Paying it forward is neat and you know I'm big on that or at least paying back. I collected a character this morning on my run/walk, just wrapped her up and put her in my pocket. Do you do that too?
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