The Impact of Writing

The Impact of Writing.

Good Morning, as I reflect on this blog, I am struck that this week is my second anniversary of having this blog. I also was on my dashboard, on Archive of Our Own, a fanfiction portal that I often publish stories on. I have almost 100 stories on that portal as well. Added to the over 200 blogs, you could read something that I have written for nearly a year, which is pretty cool. 

As I reflect on the impact of writing, I am struck with how for myself, a control freak who struggles with the injustices of the world writing became my escape for being able to control something in my world. 

My favorite Authors are Lori Wick, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Robin Jones Gunn, Francine Rivers, Timothy Zahn, Steven R. Roman, Dee Henderson, CS. Lewis. My favorite poets are Emily Dickinson, Shel Silverstein, Edgar Allen Poe, Walt Whitman, David from the bible. My favorite comic writers are Chris Clairmont, Kelly Thompson, Amy Mebberson,  

However, I didn’t realize the impact of writing until I started teaching writing classes. I am horrible at grammar, so most of my teaching about writing is how to compose sentences, and how to write stories, not so much grammar. As most of you know, I am a Professor at a small private college for Adults with differing abilities. I started teaching a poetry class about six years ago. Because of my reformed heart toward poetry(A story for another day) and thought it could be another resource for these people who also struggle to maintain control and struggle with injustices as well—just another tool for exhausted parents and students to be able to manage the day.

What was surprising the simple act of doing poetry? It was like I opened Pandora’s box in a good way. Suddenly the parents of my students approached me and told me how much their students enjoyed poetry. But more importantly, the students felt smart for the first time in their lives. Some shared how they now had a tool to create peace and help them process things that were giving them anxiety. For others who had limited vocabulary, were able to express what they thought and how they felt. Students who were energetic dancers could take a moment to be quiet and do poetry.

It was amazing that a group of students who had been taught handwriting in such an emphasized way but not using those words to create. The writing was a pressure point, but once I started giving them tools to create beautiful poems and such, they blossomed. And the class poems became beautiful. They dealt with simple things like the clouds remind me of cotton candy too. I hope my dad doesn’t scream at me. There were vulnerability and realness to every poem we write in class

Teaching many writing classes propelled me to be confident in my writing and resume writing. It helped me drown out the naysayers and listen to my Heavenly’s father’s voice, saying that Danie You can write. You are an excellent writer Danie. You Have a Voice Danie. You Matter Danie. Your Perspective is Unique, Danie, but you speak the truth in love and kindness. 

Writing is a small space that allows me to process the world and control aspects of my world. But the gift comes from God. The nudging comes from God. The followers and students and people who encourage me to come from God. The peace that passes understanding comes from God. The readers come from God. The people who comment come from God. Even my words that create the writing come from God. 

Philippians 2:9-11 (New Living Translation)

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

TTFN and God Bless and Keep You