The Writer's Quest: Answering The Questions We Grapple With

How our past can help us go forth as individuals and as writers

“They look like big, good, strong hands, don’t they? I always thought that’s what they were. Hmm. My little friends, the little man with his racing snail, the night-hog, even the stupid bat. I couldn’t hold onto them. The Nothing pulled them right out of my hands. I failed.”

As Rock Biter expresses his feelings of powerlessness in The NeverEnding Story, I relate my pain as a child amidst my parents’ divorce, unable to save them, unable to stop it. I had begun wondering about the realities of life because it had become apparent that love wasn’t enough, nor did it promise anything. I watched on as Atreyu battled against so much that was out of his control, seemingly going against him. This movie illuminated the real challenges I was beginning to see in life and I was captivated to see how Atreyu’s journey and his response to it would unfold.

Life doesn’t hold back, and we aren’t protected from any of it. As a child, I wondered how I would live with that. I spent years rolling around the questions of life and love, pouring over quotes and poetry for an answer to a question I hadn’t found yet. There was so much heartache around, and I had so little control. At times, I still feel like the Rock Biter, knowing control isn’t something we have over the unfolding of life. But I have come to see what I can do and what I am good at, and in turn, have uncovered the themes of my writing.

There are three themes to the questions I carry and, in turn, what my pen tries to answer:

1. Life: Does life have meaning, and if so, what might that be? How can we incorporate what causes it to be meaningful into our lives (to help move past feelings of helplessness)?

2. Love: Love promises nothing; how can we live with that and foster the strength love provides?

3. Self: As I ponder life and love, what does my life ask of my unique dance with it? What inner journey does this take me on? What can I do to be what I can be, and how can I help others who grapple with these same thoughts?

My writing space originated from many personal and shared heartaches, each leaving me wondering more deeply about life. I want to gain a deeper understanding of how love isn’t always a beacon of light but rather a complex tapestry of joy and sorrow, of promises unfulfilled and dreams deferred. Life’s meaning appears relative, but I see common themes in how we each make sense of it. We are resilient, and I am deeply intrigued by that inner journey. Through my writing, I seek to illuminate our individual and collective strength and to celebrate the beauty of our imperfections (here is my aspirational Writer’s Poem).

As The NeverEnding Story draws to a close, I see beyond Rock Biter’s despair. The story highlights the importance of believing in oneself when the journey overwhelms. I relate to the struggles and triumphs, the despair and the hope. I am humbled by the realities of loss and the strength shown in the characters who overcome, who leave me knowing that I, too, have the strength to make it through.

I am the question on the paper.

I am the lesson in motion.

I am the unsureness in life - I am the knowing, that something about that is right.

I am the thoughts rolling around,

looking for this paper to be found,

not in a simple line of text, but a body of questions, wondering flexed.

I am the human who wonders how they will make sense of this, but for now

goes on in hope and with love.

I can be unknowing and knowing.

I am never too early or too late for

what I have come here to do,

ill-prepared, but giving it my best will do.

~

“Falcore it’s even more beautiful than I thought.”

Do you carry themes of wonder in your life?

I would love to hear your thoughts on life meaning, love and self. Join my interview series where I also cross-promote your Substack. Click this link to the ten questions, which take less than 10 minutes to answer.

P.S. On what may feel like shortcomings…

Understanding our story helps us love what we cannot be. We know we cannot be all things to all people and can only do the best when we can. This sounds easy to carry, and it is often until someone points out that we should be more or do it differently. The more clear on what we can be and how it is ok to not be everything the easier it will be to stay true to you. There is wisdom in knowing your unique (creative) space; in understanding what it is and how it came to be, you can keep it safe for you, which is necessary for you/your creativity to flourish.

All Images and quotes are from the film The NeverEnding Story:

Petersen, W. (Director). (1984). The NeverEnding Story. Neue Constantin Film, Bavaria Film, Producers Sales Organization.