Why Write?

            Some might say it is crazy to spend hours of your life each week dedicated to writing works that maybe a couple dozen people read. So why do it. Why sacrifice your precious time to creating something that few appreciate? The answer is, what else are you going to do. In the end, when your life processes come to a halt and the presence that society has come to know and appreciate as you is now a mere memory, ever fading with each passing moment, what will you have left behind. The obvious answer for most would be children, and I won’t argue against this. Children are creations that simply come to take on their own role in the creative process. But aside from offspring what can you honestly say you are leaving behind. The rights to a bank account containing numbers, perhaps a house or a car that will later be sold or perhaps destroyed. If you truly ask yourself, what is my legacy, would you be happy with the answer?

            There are many forms of creation. Children, as I had mentioned, any form of art, be it visual, musical, textual, or otherwise, one could even create an organization or a business. Creations need not be tangible or even functional. The only thing a creation needs to be is created. To whom a creation is dedicated or for whom it is created is at the sole discretion of the creator. Often musicians will credit crowds with their success and tell them that what they do, they do for their fans. My work has virtually no fans, nor is it dedicated as such. I would, and be it the case will, continue to create my works on a regular basis from now throughout the foreseeable future should my entire fan base dwindle to my own views. My reason for this is that I can say with perfect contentedness, that I am proud of the work that I have done, and happy with the life that I am leading.

            So what is wrong with consuming and participating, why this need to create? There are, of course, those who appreciate art, and those who participate in organizations, some very noble ones at that. These people may even be content relishing in the works of others while offering nothing of their own but support. I am not going to tell you that either outlook on life will lead you to a better or worse outcome. I only insist that those who have never lived a day in the life of a creator take a chance and make something. Anything. Write a short story or learn an instrument. You don’t need to start your own business, just develop an initiative at work and propose it to your boss. Your creation could just be a recycling bin in the break room. It sounds unrewarding, but that recycling bin might be there long after you retire or change jobs. Eventually, employees won’t even remember a time when that recycling bin wasn’t there. You likely won’t be the next Beatle or Stephen King, but anyone can be recycling bin guy.

            -AMS