More from Henri Nouwen

In my last post, I included a meditation by Henri Nouwen that was emailed to me. Since then, I've received two more emails by Nouwen, both also covering the topic of writing, and I wanted to share them here as well.

The first one was titled, "Writing, Opening a Deep Well"
Nouwen writes, "Writing is not just jotting down ideas. Often we say: "I don't know what to write. I have no thoughts worth writing down." But much good writing emerges from the process of writing itself. As we simply sit down in front of a sheet of paper and start to express in words what is on our minds or in our hearts, new ideas emerge, ideas that can surprise us and lead us to inner places we hardly knew were there.

One of the most satisfying aspects of writing is that it can open in us deep wells of hidden treasures that are beautiful for us as well as for others to see."

The second one was titled, "Making Our Lives Available to Others"
Nouwen writes, "One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human person is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well. Writing can be a very creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves and to others.

We have to trust that our stories deserve to be told. We may discover that the better we tell our stories the better we will want to live them."

I read many blogs, emails, articles and books on a daily basis, and I feel continually blessed to be able to read, learn from, and be given insight into so many people's journeys of life and faith. Keep writing, keep pouring out your hearts. For me, writing is the best way I know to make my life available to others. I am thankful that I have so many friends, and even people I don't know, who are making their lives available to me.