A Celtic Pilgrim: Sabbath Thoughts: Writing as a Discipline

Emerging Spring ©A. Rutherford

Henri Nouwen aptly describes the benefit of writing—

The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know. Thus, creative writing requires a real act of trust. We have to say to ourselves, “I do not know yet what is in my heart, but I trust that it will emerge as I write.” Writing is like giving away the few loaves and fishes one has, in trust that they will multiply in the giving. Once we dare to “give away” on paper the few thoughts that come to us, we start discovering how much is hidden underneath . . . and gradually come in touch with our own riches.

-Henri Nouwen, Theological Thoughts in Education

In my teaching career, composition, or the teaching of writing, has always been my strong interest and my delight. What a pleasure it is to watch young minds unfold, to experience their growing excitement as they discover that indeed they do have something to say on a topic that previously they might have thought they had no interest in. It usually comes as such a surprise that learning to craft their thoughts in order to express them eloquently and persuasively can be so rewarding. I laugh and tell them that the “high” that they get from writing something well is like the runner’s high, the euphoria that that is produced from the endorphin rush that comes from

strenuous exercise. Writing, I tell them, is hard work, but that the feeling of well-being that comes from a sense of accomplishment is a worthy goal in itself because it empowers us to act, which is transferable to many other areas in our lives.

They probably never know that their teacher is experiencing her own sense of exhilaration, equal to theirs or more, as she watches them struggle to grow and then finally achieve success, at whatever level it happens. I remember a football player in junior year who, after months of struggle and resistance to writing a simple 5-paragraph essay, looked up with real tears of joy in his eyes as he said, “Ms R, why did no one ever tell me before that I can do this!” You probably always gave up too soon, I told him, and you probably made it so hard on your teachers that they gave up on you too soon as well. He went on to talk about how his sense of accomplishment was equal to scoring a touchdown. Of course, he didn’t say it quite that way, he just exclaimed through a beaming smile, “This feels so good!” I call my students my “academic athletes” and they are. I love watching them become academic olympians.

Most students do not understand that writing is a process of discovery. They think that they have to have full blown thoughts on a topic before they can have something to say on it, that what writers do is just put down what is already in their heads. But as Nouwen also said, “Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals what is alive.”

But sadly, writing is becoming a lost art amongst not only students but “regular folks” as well. And real communication, which is vital to meaningful relationships, is suffering as a result, I believe. Twittering, tweeting, and texting are replacing written communication and deep, prolonged conversation. In some ways we are more in contact with each other than ever but less in touch.

Writing is misunderstood, like any other creative act. We think that we have to be in the mood or we have to wait until the muse appears to enthuse us about writing. Something has to move us before we can create, or in this case, put “pen to paper” or fingers to keyboard. Not so, creating is more like a discipline. We get up and move, we begin with a simple act in the direction of what we want to do, and then we are carried along with our movement into the feeling of creativity that we think is necessary.

Lately, I have been writing out my prayers. Not because I need to get my thoughts together and express them well for God, but because I need to discover what’s alive in me spiritually. As E.M. Forster said, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say.” Yes, writing is an act of discovery, but it’s also an act of affirmation. It helps me work things out as I struggle to express them in words. As well as I think I know myself, sometimes I quite surprise myself. But with the discipline of writing, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, my thoughts unravel themselves, my anxieties pale in the dawn of understanding, and the light of clarity appears. And light is necessary to growth.

Writing is also a form of meditation:

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.” Psalm 119:15

“Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.” Proverbs 30:5

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12

The Amplified Bible is very helpful with this verse in Hebrews:

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

“Prayer is the strongest form of generative energy.” -Dr. Alexis Carrel, Nobel Prize winner

This blog to me is a form of discipline. My prayer is that it is also a blessing.