Love #7--Connecting

Another writer friend mentioned writing as one of her loves, so I thought I'd add my thoughts on the subject as my Love #7.

I love to write. It's an elemental part of who I am. And while it's sometimes difficult for non-writers to understand this obsession, other writers know exactly what I'm talking about, because it's an elemental part of them, too.

Case in point:
Some time ago, my family was watching a television documentary about WWII, especially concerning the treatment of POWs. As I remember it, one soldier recounted how he had been sitting alone, writing a poem in a small notebook, when a prison guard found him and threatened to kill him. That is, he wanted to kill him before he saw what the prisoner was doing. Then, the two looked at each other for a long moment until, finally, the guard moved on.

To some, that might seem an inconsequential event, but to me, it spoke volumes; for one, the prisoner was writing--WRITING--even in the face of death, and two, the writer and perhaps the soldier (a writer, too?) had connected on a level separate than the violence they were involved in.

To me, that is one of the best parts of writing: connecting with people. In fact, some of my greatest joys come when I learn something I've written has touched another's heart, increased their understanding of Truth, or lifted them closer to God. It's one of the reasons I write. And exist.