‘I want to…’ ‘I have a strong desire…’ ‘It’d be nice to finally…’
Aspirational. It’s great to have goals but the language here is the problem. It holds me back. There’s a riddle I heard about a frog. A frog is on a log and says to its friend – “I’m gonna jump into the water.” Where’s the frog? Still on the log. Wanting is not the same as doing.
I’ve struggled with personal language for years. The ways that I describe myself, my day, my experiences. They can be negative and/or limiting. They provide a bleak outlook and not a reality.
Or, I’ll look at a scene and comment on the negative aspect- “can you believe someone would wear that?” as an example rather than “I’m glad that person feels comfortable enough to not worry how they present themselves.”
Or, better yet. Not judging or commenting at all. That’s where I’m trying to head. Just observing and not interpreting. By interpreting or judging a scene or a moment I immediately change it. That’s the defining line.
Setting a scene is not the same as defining it. That’s the beauty of language. I can write that I’m sitting here in a coffee shop watching a trio of young people deep in an enjoyable discussion and that conjures certain images. As soon as I ascribe my judgment or critical eye and describe and define it changes it. Remembering that I’m neither the author nor the main focus of the universe.
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