This is one of my favourite
quotes. I have it on my wall and use it to remind myself that I need to live
the life I have been given. Oscar Wilde meticulous ordered words to form this slice
of inspiration. He was also a great wordsmith and could influence words to release
humour which transcends the years or sculpt them to build a monster that haunts
you long after the book has been returned to the shelf.
I am currently reading ‘The
Picture of Dorian Gray’ a tale of vanity, lust, decadence, and all those other
lovely traits that make life interesting; not always good for us but a little like
that last piece of chocolate – fine so long as no-one else knows. Each time I
have read Dorian I have seen new issues in the telling. Age, I think, is the
difference. I was still at an all-girls private catholic college, and a good
god-fear young lady (my mother would argue with this but it is my tale) and to be
quite honest I was perplexed at some of the behaviour within the story. Years
later at University I read it again and loved it. Why? Oscar captures the worst
of human nature and makes it appear ok to act as you wish, given that there is
no reckoning. The catch interestingly enough and the bit I missed at school, is
that you are your own moral compass. Yes, people are flawed but most of us do
try to do better, to forgive and to be superior to what we were yesterday. I
like to think Oscar had it right, that given true freedom without fear of retribution,
we would choose well.
This then lead to my thinking of
the intricacy of writing! How often do we stop to ponder over that quote that
gets us though the darkness or that one book that is never any further away
that one arm’s length?
I am new to blogging so I am
still learning. I am enjoying the experience but not sure what should or should
not be shared. I am not sure what my readers like or want. I know why I sign up
to certain blog pages and connect to a particular social networking site.
Sometimes it is the humour the author weaves into their storytelling. Others it
is because I get a point of view that is different to my own. I enjoy these
pages because I can rant all I like at the screen, without it yelling back at me
or it getting up a leaving the room mid-debate.
It is the same with reading
novels. I know that I like a captivating crime story; stimulating sci-fi; mortal
mystery; honest history and of course a raunchy romance. I really do not stop
to think about how the writer imprisonments my interest and keeps me turning
the 300 odd pages to reach the close.
I had one of the people who is reading
my blog ask me today how I get my ideas and make it work. My answer was simple “I
don’t know.” I see or hear something
that catches my imagination and I sit at my keyboard and write” Does it work?
Sometimes I say yes and am very happy with the end results but am I honest? I
would like to think so but the blogs that have been viewed the most are not the
ones that I liked the best.
Life is full of rules and
regulation, and writing is no different. Remember school; learning the rules of
grammar, what punctuation was for and of course that mortal enemy of any
student of true creativity – syntax. This is great if you have a news story to
cover or are assembling a company report but to reach the heart and soul ensuing
your reader spills tears either from heartbreak or laughter requires breaking the
rules or at the very least , bending them. I have read a book and been so immersed in the
telling, I have seen the breaking dawn, heard the breeze, felt the chilling
winter frost, wiped the plum juice from my hands or squatted with seconds to
spare as the sword slashed. Others are just words joined together to tell of
some happening. Interesting maybe, but this is not really storytelling. Words
are meant to tell their story and in the hands of a master that is just what
they will do. Words have started revolutions, destroyed governments, made heroes
of fools, and created causes from nothing more than an idea. I guess the point
I started out to make, was I enjoy my writing and sitting at my
keyboard to shape words into a picture, hoping that when I share with others they
may feel, but it is more for me then my reader.
And this brings us back to the main focus of today’s
blog. The reason for Oscar’s quote “life is too important to be
taken seriously”. It makes no difference if anyone else likes your choices,
what you want to do, the way you create, your dress style, your image, shape,
hair and the list is endless. It is your life the only one you get to live. You
do what you want. Write, paint, and sing, it really makes no difference if
others see or understand. All that matters is that you are fulfilled.
And what of Dorian well, even
after all the life that Dorian lived, love turned out to be his downfall. He
could not bear to see himself through the eyes of the one he loved and so destroyed
himself!
Me, I like to think I am my most
critical admirer (again my mother would argue) so for me it translates into if
I like me and what I am doing than that is all that should really matter. I know
no-one could ever accuse me of taking life to seriously, including my mother but
I do appreciate the importance of it to ME.
These are sites where you can
access information about Oscar Wilde. The last link is to Goodreads and is a
site for readers. Click on it and join us. We read and if you want to you can add a review of the book. I love the site because other readers or groups will introduce you to
genres you may not normally experience. We are a friendly lot and welcome all
newcomers.
http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-wilde-9531078
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3565.Oscar_Wilde
