The Impulse to Explain Who We Are
A brief bit of inspiration on the compulsion to express our inner life.
https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/39580/1/maya-angelou-in-her-own-words-still-i-rise-poet-writer
I came across the following quote by Maya Angelou. It got me thinking and reflecting on why I seemingly torture myself by writing, knowing that the chances of making any money or having any kind of career with my work is slim to none.
In one word: IMPULSE.
Like other creative acts, I have a deep need for expressing my inner thoughts and feelings. To explore my inner world as a means to connect with others.
“We write for the same reason that we walk, talk, climb mountains or swim the oceans — because we can. We have some impulse within us that makes us want to explain ourselves to other human beings. That’s why we paint, that’s why we dare to love someone- because we have the impulse to explain who we are. Not just how tall we are, or thin… but who we are internally… perhaps even spiritually. There’s something, which impels us to show our inner-souls. The more courageous we are, the more we succeed in explaining what we know.””
I’ve tried many times to “quit” writing (whatever that means). And each time I quit, the urge to write and create grows stronger. That’s when I knew it was a conscious choice to write, but it was a necessity of spirit that compels me to write.
The same could be said for cooks or painters or athletes or philosophers or anyone else who feels compelled, driven by some inner force, to express oneself through action and activity.
