Taking my lead from a famous writer to make a list of nouns of things I really loved or was upset about as a child as a way to find some creative writing inspiration I started the task tonight. In all fairness I must be honest and report that I only did the list of things that I loved. Surprisingly it was something of a challenge to even tap into this memory.
My list finally filled a page but I felt a little uneasy about what I had listed. It seemed so predictable, corny and safe. (Oh, and what does that tell you?)There were no big surprises as not much has changed except now as a retired teacher I recognize that all the things I loved to do as a child I had also incorporated, big time, into my teaching.
Tomorrow I’ll make the list again but focus on my adolescent years when I remember what I really loved then. I have a feeling there will be some blocks of resistance in this time period. I’ll then progress through young adult to present day doing the same exercise to see what I’ll come up with. This is more difficult than you might think it is.
I can only imagine the anxiety I’ll face when I list the nouns regarding what has upset me. There will be some issues,frustrations, tears and itchy hives.
I think I will add some special adjectives to these nouns to personalize them such as my love of puppies will become my love of yelping , squirming puppy nuggets with smelly puppy breath ( I always thought puppy breath was kind of like a mild bleach smell). My itchy hives are self-explanatory.
I’ll work on these lists until either the honesty or the anxiety wakes up my Muse which I misplaced and forgot to nourish somewhere between childhood and now. It may be too late but I hope not because that is one of the things that I love ….hope.
An Embarrassment of Freedom 