Friday, September 26, 2008

The Need for Non-Verbal Expression

I was tempted to make this post blank, but then I figured that was just a smart-aleck trick, since that wouldn't quite get across everything I was trying to say.

My thought, stemming from the musical solution to my recent reader's block, is that it's good to have a set of writing practices that don't involve verbalizing why you're blocked. Yes, I think it's good to journal stuff out, too, but things like music, exercise, and arts and crafts are good ways to not only get your brain moving, but to siphon off emotions without having to verbalize everything.

I think us word people--I know I do it--focus too much sometimes on the power of words to make things right. They can, it's true, and it's good to keep writing, for many many reasons, but it's also good sometimes to express things non-verbally, not necessarily to keep a 50-50 balance, but to make sure some of that is happening.

No one, after all, knows more than us that words have their limits.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you already know this, but today is T.S. Eliot's birthday.

That is all. You may commence with your reading. (Are you enjoying the Pop Tarts?)

Deborah Leiter Nyabuti said...

Rodger: Yeah, that's actually what my Facebook says today. I didn't remember until after the blog post, though, so it didn't make it into the post.

Oh, and I'm afraid the Pop Tart shipment got delayed indefinitely. Something about them coming in through customs and getting stopped? *sigh*--I suppose that means I'll just have to read more T. S. Eliot between my bouts of piano playing (maybe I should be playing Cats? ;)

Deborah Leiter Nyabuti said...

Okay, couldn't resist actually posting something--it was too much fun...