Why Do I Write?

I once read somewhere that your soul knows what’s best for you; your task is to listen and follow directions.

I believe this to be true. It doesn’t really matter if it is or not. So long as I believe in it, the outcome works for me.

So the question becomes, “How can I tell what my soul has in mind for me?” If I knew for sure, my life would be much simpler, yet perhaps a little less exciting. Making mistakes is part of the adventure after all.

I do have a theory. It is this: Our emotions guide us in accordance with the will of the soul. A positive or “feel good” emotion means you are going in the right direction. Similarly, a negative emotion means you are headed in the wrong direction.

This is a philosophy for life that works for me; at least for now. I reserve the right to rethink this position moment by moment.

This brings me to the Question of the Day: Why do I write?

The short answer is that I don’t know for sure.

The simple answer is that I write because I want to see what happens next.

The most accurate answer is that I write because it feels good. The positive emotional feedback starts to course its way through me; sending the message “Good Jim. You are headed in the right direction.”

It amazes me that my own stories can make me laugh and cry. Sometimes the tale is so scary I have to turn on the lights before I write the next line. Sad, scary, dramatic or funny all seem to feed that same soulful need. I hope that this makes the point that not all emotions that fail to make one laugh are bad. Sadness is an example of an emotion of great value and, in the right context, can be a strong signpost saying "You are headed in the right direction."



So in the end, I write because I believe I came here, came to life, to do just that.