What would you write about?
Would a stream of conciseness suffice?
Today I saw a moving play, The Tin Woman, at our local Tabard Theatre. The story is simple, yet complex. A woman receives a heart transplant and meets the donor’s family (see http://www.thetinwoman.com/synopsis ). It’s not exactly an uplifting play even though there is a satisfying resolution. The play is well written, acted and staged. It’s moving to tears.
And asks those questions we don’t like to ask.
What if your life was saved by the tragic death of another?
What if your last words to your son were said in anger?
What if you family is slowly disintegrating in grief?
Why would a chance at a new life cause depression?
What if …
These questions never happen in thirty minutes and can’t be resolved in a two hour play. Life and death proceed in long periods of silence with momentary screams. A story can invoke old feelings, remind us of the memories of standing over our dying mothers, fathers … getting that call in the early morning hours.
As a young man I use to annoy my elders with the question, “What’s the meaning of life?” I was convinced there was a proper, correct answer to that question. Life had to mean something – there just had to have a purpose.
It’s the wrong question and it’s answer won’t change my life. I am. I’m here and I do. I feel and I ask questions in the time allowed. The trick is asking the right questions.
I am convinced that it’s in the questioning that we find the right path to follow.
And when our thirty minutes is up, we stop, and move on to the next thing.
Peace,
Andrew
Andrew's View of the Week 
This is a very thought-provoking post! Thanks for sharing it! 🙏
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A well-spent 30 minutes – well done, Andrew. For me, the most difficult part is stopping after 30 minutes and moving on. (There’s probably a life lesson in there.) 🙂
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You just need to setup the correct motivation. I had a pizza to cook and was getting hungry.
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We’ll see…I have about 30 minutes to write my post this week. I’m sure your post will be far superior! Very thought provoking for a 30 minute exercise!
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You just might come up with something great!
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It took longer than 30 minutes…I feel like a failure!
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Don’t tell us it took more than 30 minutes … a little fudging the numbers is okay.
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Whew!
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Interesting perspective on time, Andrew. I don’t spend much time writing my blog posts, but I think about them a long time before I write, so cumulatively I guess they do take a long time. You may be on to something!
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This was a bit of an experiment. I had something else in mind that I was going to write, but when we got home from the play I decided I needed to write about it. I’d also committed to cooking dinner and had about half an hour between getting home and starting dinner. This is what happened. I kind of liked it.
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If this is the result of a 30-minute time constraint, maybe all our posts should be so constrained. I’m not sure mine would be as profound.
Sounds like an interesting play.
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I am finding that in writing, less is more. The time limit helps to focus your mind on the core of what you’re trying to say.
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The play sounds worthwhile, Andrew, but I have enough challenging thoughts to fill my day. I think it’s why I like genre fiction rather than literary.
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It was a great play – I was glad I was able to see it.
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When I was young about 6ish I would ask my mother where were the dinosaurs in the bible. I am curious about nature. I did not matter what question I would ask. If she did not know it was the same words she would utter. “Go play outside.”
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Keep asking questions – I’d never tell you to “To go play outside.” Although some answers are outdoors.
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Seeing as we are captains of our own destiny, it is up to us as to what we do with our lives. Some people do achieve great things, fame and fortune, and others don’t. It is all in your own hands and boils down to your ambitions.
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It is, but sometimes there are forces we can’t control.
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Yes, like ill health or death in the family. That is true.
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Just like those. Still, we can set the direction, but the winds and waves will push us in unexpected ways.
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I wonder if in life we should focus to be like doctors and swear something like the Hippocratic oath; FIrst , Do No Harm.
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Yes, that might be a good thing to start with.
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