We Need To Take A Break, Mr. Backspace Button...

"Write like you talk."

... Or so they say.  Ha!  Don't they realize that the beauty of writing is that it enables those who feel handicapped with their tongue to express themselves better?!  For those people who stumble over their words, it is a superior medium of communication.  For the ones who manage to slaughter each moving story or profound thought by the time it makes its way from the mind out of the mouth.  For those people whose voices shakes and clarity crumbles when put on the spot.. for those people, like me.

Oh, I'm not implying I am fake or assume another identity when I write.  But I cherish the opportunity to mull over my words before delivering them.  I am passionate about strategically arranging each word, sentence, and paragraph in the order that most effectively communicates a point.  Black upon white, the tapping of the keyboard... that is my art.  My easel.  My clay.

And yet, like so many times, the very perfectionism that drives excellence can become the Achilles heel that holds me back.  I can become so consumed with making this form of communication flawless, since it often seems to be my only way to get across a point well.

But sometimes I need let go of the backspace button.  Ah, my dear friend the backspace button.  What would I do without him?  And yet... when I cling too tightly to the power he gives me, to word and reword, edit and re-edit... draft upon draft, hour upon hour... I can sometimes lose something.  The rawness. The real-ness.  The love of writing.

And truthfully, I believe that words- whether through speech or writing- are always better received when expressed apart from perfection.  It is the flawed and broken heart that connects to others.  It is the true and naked soul on paper, that serves as therapy... even if only for the author.

So I am going to step out on my "writing water" and try to be brave... letting go of Mr. Backspace... and actually writing some blogs without ten million drafts.  By actually clicking on "New Post" without a refined post to "copy and paste"... Actually allowing my thoughts to unfold in the little white square to be published...  And then actually pushing "Publish" in the same sitting.

Because I love writing.  Because I need real.  And because I need to get over myself :)