Who Do You Write For ?

(OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 'ABSEILING OR CAT'S EYES?')

Birthdays with big or round numbers often encourage us to do something special to celebrate them. When I turned 40 it was no different. I wanted to do something memorable, I just didn’t know what.

However, on the great day, as I sat around with my girlfriends sipping champagne, they decided that abseiling was the solution. I was entirely convinced; I prefer memorable things that involve my feet still being on land, don’t encourage me to make a will, don’t leave me entirely dependent on a stranger. The list goes on, but I’m sure you get the picture. Still, far be it from me to argue, so the day was set and the arrangements made.

As you can probably guess, I lived to tell the tale. The day was definitely memorable. I think I may also have had some fun; the relief you feel after total and utter unadulterated fear would have some amount of fun in it. Wouldn’t it? My friends on the other hand had a total ball, they loved every minute of it.

Over the weeks that followed the big day out, I found myself contemplating what it really was I wanted to achieve since abseiling was definitely not it. Much to my surprise the list included things like ‘change lanes while driving and not hit the Cat’s Eyes .’

A timid and petty goal by some standards, certainly one none of my friends aspire to, but one I have fun playing with every time I go for a drive. Not only that, but it’s one I can see myself enjoying for as long as there are Cat’s Eyes, and as long as I can drive.

This, after all, is the point of goals. Isn’t it?

They should be something that we are emotionally attached to, something we do for our own reasons and not because somebody else says we should. Goals should also be fun on some level, otherwise what’s the point?

Holding on to a rope and throwing myself off a cliff held absolute terror for me while passing smoothly from one lane to another makes me smile. Big difference. Not everybody will agree with the choice, but that doesn’t matter. The decision suits my nature, doesn’t hurt anyone and makes me smile, and let’s face it, aren’t those the reasons we should do most things for – including writing?

FURTHER READING

If you enjoyed this article, you would probably enjoy Elizabeth's short novel
Lost Outside These Walls, a mother's inner journey

and, if you're still new to writing
I Want To Write, But Don't Know Where To Start

Both these, and Elizabeth's other books, are available through the
Writing To Inspire Online Store