Writing from the Heart

I wrote an email to my local council today, bemoaning the fact that, in collecting our recycling, some of the plastic had blown out of their lorry and is now littering our beautiful valley. I have asked them to send someone to pick it up but I doubt they will. In collecting the recycling they have done what they are paid for. It is unlikely they will do any more than that.

I quickly typed the email, getting everything down while I had what I wanted to say clear in my mind. When I read it back I was surprised at how eloquent it was, with just a few typos to correct and not much else. I realised that the reason it had come out so well was because I was writing about something that I felt very passionate about. I was writing from my heart. I wasn't subconsciously self-editing, I was just writing exactly what I needed to say at that time. And I was able to produce a short piece of writing that I was pleased with. I know it was only an email, but everything we write can teach us something about who we are, so that means everything we write is potentially incredibly important, even an email to the council!

I have been reading Of Arcs and Circles by Marc Peter Keane (review coming soon) and here is a man who writes from the heart. Everything he shares is infused with his insights, thoughts and feelings. His passion for what he writes, namely nature and Japan, comes through clearly. It makes his book a joy to read and I am itching to get back to it. My hope is that one day, I will be able to write with as much passion and feeling as Mr Keane, and I am buoyed by the fact that everything I write, even letters of complaint to the council, brings me closer to that unlimited well of wisdom that gets tapped whenever we write from our hearts.

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash