It’s Friday and I am posting my weekly quote post—usually a Wednesday ritual. Lately, life and my inner flow aren’t conforming to a tidy blogging schedule. Approaching spring is having a more profound effect on me than even New Year’s did—I am turning my attention to indoor seed starting, outdoor repairs, and how my routines will need to shift when the gardening season begins.
Lately, my mind has been grasping for the essence of a quote I read recently—about how living life comes before writing. We have to live if we are going to have something to write about. Although not necessarily a useful message for everyone, I relate to it. I want to revisit ‘before-I-started-blogging-last-summer’ activities; respond to the pull of the garden; and spend more time on new/old interests such as reading novels and poetry. If verbalized, my new internal mantra would be:
I want to blog to live rather than live to blog.
Another recent theme that has been on my mind is the meaning of my recent attempts to write in poetic form. I have a few responses to that question and one would be ‘why ask why?’. Another more direct answer would be that one thing has led to the next from Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge to WordPress’s Writing 201–I’ve just been enjoying myself. I like writing, I like learning, and I like words.
It also occurred to me that ‘it is all writing’. The more you write, the more fluid you get. The divide between poetry and prose is not as great as some would think. Prose can be poetic and poetry can look quite similar to prose. Ultimately, the name of the game is expression. Poetry allows more word play and can also teach precision.
A writer should have the precision of a poet and the imagination of a scientist.
∼ Vladimir Nobokov, Russian-American novelist, 1899-1977
I like this quote as it turns the stereotypes around, giving precision to poets and imagination to scientists. Obviously, there is both precision and imagination involved in both poetry and scientific research. The quote also suggests that any type of writing, whether it is fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, benefits from the magic touch of imagination and precision.
Ontheland 
great post. I love the quote about poets and scientists. It’s thought provoking. Your new mantra is good mantra for all bloggers. I may have to borrow it 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Inspiring, Janice and this has stayed with me since I read the quote. I don’t know why the arts and the sciences are always separated, to the detriment of both I feel. Imagination and precision surely go hand in hand for any creative process.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s true-precision is a quality that extends to all kinds of creative processes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Janice, I have been struggling with spring fever also. I say spend the time doing the things that bring you the most joy. Some days I have to be outside playing in the dirt. Then, other days I must write and blog. It is always a struggle to keep up with all the fun things to do! LOL! I love the quotes you shared. Well done! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spring fever it is. Yes taking it day by day is ultimately the way to go.:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Enjoyed your post, Janice. I love how the change of seasons influences our priorities. Anything that gets me out in the warming temperatures is welcomed. I just recently had my first photographic adventure since early winter. It brought me much joy. Loved both your quotes, but I just want to reflect on the one related to blogging. “I want to blog to live…” is so true in my case also. It certainly added another dimension to my life and encouraged a creative expression that I hadn’t found elsewhere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The seasons change over and over again but surprisingly there’s a freshness to it every time. Blogging certainly adds a new dimension that can be approached in many different ways. I think I might be adjusting a bit right now…and maybe there will be seasonal patterns to my approach–haven’t been at it long enough to know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seasonal patterns is a good way to put it. I’ve just had my year anniversary and it surprises me how much my blogging has changed from the beginning days. Always evolving depending on the inspiration.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats on your first birthday 🙂 it is amazing how much can change over a year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank-you, Janice. I had no clue in the beginning that the haiku form of poetry would become a passion. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Neither did I 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grab such a wonderful quote here. #deep
LikeLiked by 1 person