My current writing book (Plot and Structure, James Scott Bell, I highly recommend it) talks about finding your themes. Writing about what I care about. It’s not new advice, no. Pretty much any writing book worth a glance will advise pouring your passion into your work. So maybe it’s just serendipity that the question went a little deeper this time.
What do I care about? Equality. Fairness. This bit with Obama right now–I’m astonished by the anger of Jeremiah Wright. Yet when I look closer, I see that I shouldn’t be–that he has every right to it. Put yourself in his shoes. Remember how far race relations have come in his lifetime–and look at how far we still need to go. I’ll tell you–it’s a long, long ways.
I look at the man trying to have a baby and how he’s treated. How a doctor stopped treating him for religious reasons. I want to say, “get over it!” I think he should be a doctor first. I think his brother is an ass! I think that as long as they aren’t hurting anyone (and no, his having a baby has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU) that people should be allowed to do what makes them happy.
Like get married. These women had been together for fifty-two years before they were allowed to marry–and then six months later their marriage license was voided. How the HELL is fifty-two years of love and faithfulness a danger to the sanctity of marriage?
This is turning into a rant, and I didn’t mean it to. This post isn’t about how wrong people can be. Except it is. Because this is what I care about. The hurts we inflict on others, and how to fix them.
The courage to stand up and say, “You’re wrong, and I’m not going to do it your way.”
Everyone has a right to chase their own happiness.
We don’t have to stand alone.
Yeah. Those will do.
