Monday 7 March 2011

To Blog or Not to Blog, that is the question

Sunday, March 6, 2011

I once went to see the movie, 'Julie and Julia' and saw how one's woman's blogging was made into a movie.  I do not expect my blog to make it to the Big Screen, but at the same time, well, why not?  I am an interesting enough person.  A wanna-be writer.  So why not write a blog about how I want to be a writer and have it become a movie?  Louise and ???........ hmmm... that sounds good - if only I could find a suitable name to go with mine. 

So where do I start?  Well, first of all, I like to write.  I would like to inspire.  I also want to educate people on the effects of Mental Illness.  Why? Because I have been the caregiver of someone with a diagnosed mental illness for the past 6 years.  It has been a struggle, trying to work hand in hand with a system that, more often than not, is broken.  I feel empathy for those who are starting on their journey of navigating through a difficult system.  I would like to support them, to show them that there is hope, tell them to never give up, help them learn the 3 C's:  You did not Cause it, you cannot Control it and you cannot Cure it. 

I started writing short stories and always seemed to end up writing on topics that were near and close to my heart.  I put my pen down for a while and tried writing a novel about the Mona Lisa, doing research, etc.  That proved to be daunting, and I have presently put that project aside.  For that is not where my heart is right now.  Mental illness is.  But even that seems a bit gigantic and insurmountable.  So I tinker with short stories and have entered a contest with a short story on the topic of 'Alheimers'  Then I decided to try my hand at poetry and submitted a short poem to another contest.  I have not heard any news, but none is expected until the end of April  2011 for one and August 2011 for the other.  Does it matter if I win or not?  Not really.  At my age and with my lived experiences, things have taken on a different priority for me.  Life as we know it....... it is not the life I imagined as a teenager, but it is my life and I know I have something to share with the world.  I just do not quite know what it is at this point.

Others in my writing group seem to know what direction they want to go, but at my age (being the eldest I believe), it seems that the older I get, the less idealistic illusions I have, the more realistic day-to-day living takes over and I want to write something that will make a difference in the world.  Not a difference in mine, but something that will touch another person in a positive way and actually change that person.  For I am coming to realize that it is not how I can change, but it is if what I have lived through can help someone else, then my life will have been worth it.

Tomorrow, I will write again and see if I can see more clearly why I am blogging.  And one day, I will perhaps have my Blog made into a movie.  This does inspire me to blog.


4 comments:

  1. You've already changed someone. Your wisdom, your trust and your support has made me a different person. But, Louise, please don't stop writing as there are others looking to be changed, needing your wisdom and support and I look forward to reading more of your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your comment, Sarah. You have the 'honor' (if you can call it that...smile) of being my first 'Comment'. I appreciate what you have said and if I can make a difference somehow, somewhere, for this I thank you.
    - Louise

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looking forward to reading more Louise!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Louise I love your blog,Thank you for helping me the way you do, I'll stop in again.

    ReplyDelete