Mark Twain is attributed as saying: “It is
better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all
doubts.” This has been the little motto
in my head most of my life. Don’t talk
too much and maybe I won’t make a fool of myself. Say as little as possible.
Writing a blog once a week, posting it on
Blogger and then linking it to Facebook is hardly keeping quiet. It’s going out on a limb and risking the removal of
all doubts. Most Monday mornings I post
the blog and link it between 6 and 7 in the morning. I will feel a little doubt as it its quality,
but satisfaction that at least I managed to go another week keeping up with my
writing regimen. Then last week I wrote
a particularly stirring blog entry.
People seemed to appreciate the story and I was pretty pleased with it
too. Sometimes my blog entries are
singles or grounders, there are some doubles.
There are definitely strikeouts. Last week was knocked out of the
park. Once in a while it feels like words fall into place just right and I’ve caught lightning in a bottle.
As last week drew to an end I began to fret
about what the next blog entry would be.
I do this every week. I may have
a topic in mind but nothing seems good enough and most Sunday evenings I am
thinking that I ought to just take the week off or maybe just quit writing the
blog altogether and start sleeping in on Mondays. Last night was no exception. I wanted to write about Memorial Day.
I thought about how capturing the creative essence
is sometimes called Lightning in a Bottle. And as much as I might want to crow about how
I liked my blog entry last week and woe is
me for fretting about following up on it, none of my accomplishments
hold a candle to the work and sacrifices of our veterans. Last night I felt like just giving up blogging,
essentially quitting while I’m ahead. Then
I wondered how many men and women in the armed forces felt the same way and kept
at it, never gave up and now are remembered on this day for laying down their lives
for their country.
So I got up this morning feeling a little dyspeptic
and discouraged but got this written down. I don’t expect to top last week. I wish I could. But the best I can do today is thank the veterans.
I don’t know how many ever wanted to just
give up and go home. But sometimes even when
I’m doing well, I get hit with self-doubt and worry that I can’t go on. If any of our fighting men and women ever felt
that way and continued on anyway, I feel all the more thankful.