I was so looking forward to the book fair organised by the library to sell off their old books. I guess my efforts to wake up early pales in comparison to the people that have already formed what seemed to be the endless legs of a caterpillar. And that was before it opened! To be fair, all books were selling at $2 per book, hence the crowd.

I tried to weave into the crowd, but I guess the tapestry that is human just proved to be too stubborn. Instead of fighting, I went to sections where there were less people. This was where I came across a book, the only book that I bought in the fair. With a title like Writing as a Healing Art, it just hooked me right from the start.

I haven’t finish reading it yet, but it did prompt me to revisit why I started this blog in the first place. When I first started out, it was meant to be a reminder. To remind me of the things that are important in life, to make me more aware of the things that are important in life. It slowly evolved into an outlet for my mind, a place to park my thoughts. Sometimes, it’s also a place for discussion with others. Sometimes, it’s just pure fun.

With the ever changing identity of the blog, why do I keep writing? Why do YOU keep writing? Is there a reason for the constant chatter in the blogosphere that requires your fingers’ attention to tap out what you’re thinking on the keyboard? To let others have a piece of your mind? Or could it be to find peace of mind?

Writing can heal. This is what the book suggests. Writing connects yourself with your mind. It allows you to express what you didn’t know about yourself, if you let it. The braver you are, the more you’ll find out about yourself, the more you can heal yourself.

I think this is what I’ve been trying to do, unconsciously. I’ve been using the blog to heal myself, by allowing my thoughts to run freely, more freely than it can in the brain. I guess when your thoughts are inside, they are just caged up and rattle randomly inside. Sometimes, some part of it gets let out but then there’s nothing coherent about the escapees. Through writing, you commit yourself to let it out and stay out. To stand up to scrutiny in the outside world. Not anyone’s scrutiny, but your own scrutiny. We are a prison of our own thoughts, unless we are willing to release the prisoners, they will just be serving a life-long sentence with no chance to ever get a pardon. Now that just sounds like a very cruel thing to do to yourself!

So if you’ve ever wanted to start your blog, please do so. If you don’t like the “publicity”, just start your own personal journal in a diary, like the good old days. Just remember to write. Allow yourself at least the chance to know yourself better. Who knows, when trying to know yourself better, you can then start healing yourself, and healing others in the process!