There are many good things in the world. There are also bad things. Then there is how each of us perceives either of the extremes. I tend to be the optimist--the glass half full guy. When somebody says "not possible" I might be apt to counter with "what if" or "maybe there's a way".
I suppose there's a childlike way I view the world sometimes. Sure, as some of you may have noticed in my blog posts, I can tend to appear pragmatic in my thinking at times, perhaps almost to the point of being too rigidly realistic or literal about some things. I like to be cautious in my approach to many thoughts and deeds, but I can be a dreamer to the point of the ridiculous.
It's probably much to do with upbringing--perhaps everything. My mother was a storyteller and my father liked to dream big. We always seemed to be looking toward the horizon for the next new thing, the adventure of what we could imagine.
Then I think of a friend of mine who tends to look at the negative side of life much of the time. I didn't know his parents very well, but in my experience with them his father seemed to be a rather grumpy fellow. You could say it was a nice day and for him it was too hot, too cold, or not a perfect day in some way. My friend's mother conversely was a cheery lady who seemed to be lost in a happy world of her own mind.
My friend--the by-product of two different personalities--is now a slightly happier-seeming version of his old man. But maybe I see it this way because my friend is my long-time friend and I never really knew his father. Perhaps if his father had been my friend I would have had a whole different perception of the guy.
Life is what we make it based on how we perceive it. If we've got something to look forward to then we keep at it. I don't ever want to be the kind of person who plops down in hopelessness and gives up. Life is too rich.
Recently I met a very cool guy who is a member of a writer's group I joined a year ago. At 90 years of age Jack Eiden is ready for the next 100 years. He's got two epic novels in the closing stages and will be shopping these around soon. He published a novelette in 2000 and learned how to build his own website so he could promote that book. Lately Jack and I have been putting together a blog for our writers group. I encourage you to stop by the Writers Workshop West blog and take a look around. It's currently still a work in progress that needs to be taken before the membership before we finalize how we will proceed with it. If you would, please stop in and leave a comment on any post so our membership can see the potential of blog interaction and networking. This will be a new concept for many of these writers.
In developing this blog, Jack became inspired to start his own blog in preparation for expanding his platform and to eventually be able to showcase his upcoming books. I hope you will take some time to drop by the blog of Jack Eiden Author Relapsed and provide him some encouragement. Become a follower of his blog and welcome him into our blogging community.
Are you a member of a local writers group? Does the group have a blog or a website? Have you encouraged others to start a blog?
Again, please visit these sites, Writers Workshop West and Author Relapsed, to welcome them to the world of blogging and encourage them in their endeavors. Thank you all!
