Earlier this year my family was blessed with our second child. It is a girl and she is healthy and happy. Between work, school, and caring for a new born I’ve found it very difficult to find the time to write. What time I have usually goes towards school work. Although I do regret those missed writing opportunities, I certainly don’t find it upsetting. I’m more than happy to put my website on the back burner while I desperately try to figure out why the new baby won’t stop crying!
During this period I’ve been reflecting on my own writing and why I do seem to enjoy it so much. At about the same time, I’ve been assigned articles to read for my classes that stress how important reading and writing is for a proper education. Writing, especially journaling, essays, and other types of non-fiction writing, are not done today on the scale that it was before TV and radio. I think that is a major factor in why our education system is in the shoddy state it is.
Writing has a large number of benefits beyond the simple skill of communicating via the written word. I’ve found that, when I write down my thoughts on a problem, it helps me to make my arguments rigorous and allows me to see more clearly where they may not make sense. This especially holds true on complex issues that where I can’t keep all the parts of the argument in my head. And as I edit and re-edit my writing it only strengthens my case. Later, when discussing it verbally, I’m better able to explain what I mean because the prior act of writing it down has now organized my thoughts.
Writing also tends to be cathartic for me. Sometimes I’ll get a thought stuck in my head and I just keep mulling it over and over to the point that I can’t even get any sleep. If I write it down the thoughts will move from my head to paper and leave me in peace. Sadly, this tends to happen in the middle of the night, which is not a great time to be writing, but at least a couple posts started out as an idea I couldn’t get out of my head.
After a meal, a good poop, and being changed, the baby took a bit of a nap that allowed me to write up this post. Now she seems to be waking up so it’s time to return to matters of much more importance then my wander thoughts… for now.
Hard Learning 