It’s my blog and I can elaborate if I want to. 😉 Yesterday I suggested that writing can be the opposite of escapism, so I thought I’d explore that a little more today.
Escapism comes up in various conditions. Most commonly for many people seek it to escape boredom! (As though the terms boredom and escape belong together!) There’s also emotional fear, mental overload, physical exhaustion, etc.
It seems to me, however, that sometimes we toss the baby out with the bathwater. Our relationships and daily tasks are not really the problem. We may be exhausted–that’s a problem. Perhaps we have fallen into a rut of some sort–sure, that’s a problem. But our Lord has given us a variety of relationships with diverse people and ranging roles enough that we really can turn our attention from shallow acts to human souls and ever changing scenarios.
Anyway. Writing, however, can be an antidote, both to boredom and to demeaning our every day. Writing can look deeper into human minds, settings, and consequences than tends to come up in a typical day. Not because writing is something magical, but because too often we miss what is most closely set before us. Who? Our neighbors. Why? Sin is so blinding that it avoids the mercies and gifts God has placed in our very midst.
Maybe I’m going to far. By all means let me know what you think. Still, I think that writing is another way to be catechetical about life. Keep asking questions and digging deeply. Keep finding the answers in God’s Word and the mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Gratitude . . . isn’t as natural as I’d like. Still, gratitude is the ultimate answer to boredom. Probably even fear, exhaustion, etc. Our Lord provides, yet that one foundational aspect of the First Commandment (What is a God? That from which you expect good.) is where we fall short again and again.
Anyway, it’s worth thinking about. And, I am exceedingly grateful that I can turn to writing to help me keep my mental hoops looping (or something–who knows these days!), my emotions more or less balanced, and my children as both neighbor and audience.
Hmm. Meanwhile, if you know, or have ideas, about teaching children to love this world instead of constantly practicing escapism, ha, please let me and six of my littlest neighbors know!
Happy writing, folks! Warm wishes!
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