Writing

Romeo and Juliet ~ William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's most iconic works. It tells the tale of two star-cross'd lovers who are determined to break through their family rivalries, but end up tragically dying together. That's the basics, and that's all I care to elaborate on, plot-wise.

For a minute, I want to imagine that I am Shakespeare. What would possess me to write this play? What types of messages would I be hoping to get across? What points would I want to make? To me, (unless I'm mistaken,) Shakespeare's perspective is very clear. 

He is a cynic. He is cynical of love, of faithfulness, of loyalty, and of wisdom, in general. What makes this story so tragic is the sheer pointlessness of the deaths of the two main characters. While both Romeo and Juliet feel as though they must keep their love concealed, their spiral to their final deaths could have been entirely avoided if they had just revealed their romance. If they had revealed that they had, in fact, "done the deed," all tragedy could have been skipped. They could have gone on to live happy lives together, and the rift between their families could possibly have been mended through marriage!

So, what is the irony that Shakespeare clings to through this story? I've chosen this play of his to include in this portfolio, because I share his perspective. His cynicism and sarcastic, ironic tragedy makes me smile. One of the greatest downfalls for most people in this world is blind passion. The ideas 'love at first sight' and falling 'head over heels in love' with someone do not lend to wisdom and discernment, but rather headstrong, mindless romances that have no direction and no purpose. 

As a Christian, I cannot endorse the perspectives of Romeo or Juliet. In fact, I am opposed to them. In my mind, they are truly the antagonists. Of course, they mean no malice and they are not sinister in their endeavors. Their belief is that their love is all that matters, and that it should take first priority; even over top of their own lives. All I can see in their relationship is fruitless passion, foolish ambition, and distracted rash decision-making. 

Jesus has not called us to mindless living. This whole world revolves on the idea of YOLO and #seizetheday. Both of these are true and good statements, but are not often applied properly. Most times, people interpret these catchphrases to endorse running blindly into new opportunities, throwing caution to the wind, jumping on trains without knowing where they are going, and ignoring everything that may look like some haphazard plan. People who embrace these ideas also endorse thoughtless living, and reject blueprints, guidance, advice, and wisdom. 

I hope to live contrary to these popular beliefs. I do not believe that caution makes life boring. In fact, most people who know me would consider me carefree, free-spirited, and wild. The thing is, I know that there is a grand plan. As for these little opportunities to jump off of bridges and take the forest paths to unknown destinations, I say, go all in! When we are talking about our lives, however, the story should be different. I do not see the point of even living if my life is not directed by God, alone. I do not see the point of living if my steps are not directed and established by the Lord. 

I may fall in love someday. I may fall head over heels. Even so, here is what I will not do: abandon every Godly thought. I will not abandon His plan in my life. I will pray and consider. I will seek His Will for me. I will seek HIM above MYSELF. I will not blindly follow my passions and chase my dreams. Rather, I will walk in faith and fellowship with my Lord Jesus Christ. I will put my trust in Him, and not in my own heart. 

That way, I will not end up drinking a bottle of poison for a lover I presumed to be dead. I will not fill out Shakespeare's cynical prophecy of teenage love.

What I've Learned From Writing ~ Shauna Singh Baldwin

This essay was beautifully written. Of course, I naturally gravitate to those who think like me, and those who have become what I aspire to be. Shauna Baldwin is both of these things, as her essay clearly showed me. 

I could perfectly relate to all the thoughts she expressed throughout her essay, such as feeling insignificant and small, and losing hope because of the sheer number of 'better' writers in the world.

I am a writer. I know I am, and I've known it for the past four years. I know it's what I want to be and what I want to do and what I want to take with me wherever I go. I've chosen to include Shauna's essay so that I do not forget it. I've ready it a number of times already, agreeing wholeheartedly with her struggles as a writer, and loving the way she worded her sentences. Her phrasing, her word choice, and the structure of the essay was impeccable, and I saw a lot of my own style in hers. 

When she started talking about her writer's journal, I got incredibly excited. I've had my own writer's journal for a long time now, but I didn't know it was a "thing," for lack of a better word. She writes, "When the urge to scribble turns coherent, it's really difficult to know where to begin. I kept a writer's journal sporadically through my teens converting personal angst, pain and fun times to text; I'm glad it was something no one read but I. But the habit was a good one and today I am never without my writer's journal. A writer's journal is different from a diary, because you fill it with description, not merely with events, but with thoughts, with the texture of the present. It becomes a treasury of moments when words sang."

This whole passage is so true for me. I've had my journal for years now, and usually I use it in the middle of the night. When I'm tossing and turning, or when I'm on the verge of sleep, a word of phrase or thought will jump into my mind. At first, I would ignore them and try to remember them in the morning, but I never could. Since then, I've always written it down. I'll groan and sigh as I do it, but I know that I can't let it be lost to the memory-snatching void of sleep. Some of the pages are entirely incomprehensible, and the words are nothing but bird-scratches and indistinguishable scribbles. But that's okay. It's there. It's safe. It is waiting to be interpreted on a later date when I flip through the pages in search of inspiration. 

What I've Learned From Writing was a hugely encouraging read, and I was inspired. In fact, I still am. I'm amped up on joy and excitement for where writing is going to take me. After four years of blogging and having amazing opportunities already, it is more than exhilarating to imagine what lies ahead. I might just go ahead ans scribble Shauna's entire essay into my writing journal- who knows? It would certainly come in handy someday....

Twenty-Four ~ Switchfoot

Twenty four oceans
Twenty four skies
Twenty four failures
Twenty four tries
Twenty four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
Twenty four drop outs
At the end of the day
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago

Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And I'm not who I thought I was twenty four hours ago
Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You

Twenty four reasons to admit that I'm wrong
With all my excuses still twenty four strong

See I'm not copping out not copping out not copping out
When You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now

And You're raising these twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies 
In twenty four parts
But I want to be one today
Centered and true

I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now
And You're raising the dead in me

I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And You're raising the dead in me
Twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies 
In twenty four parts.
I'm not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out.


I realized that I've put an unnatural amount of Switchfoot on this portfolio, but that's just going to have to be the way it is. They aren't my favourite band just because they look cool. I just can't get enough of the richness of their poetic, sincere, vulnerable lyrics.

I've put this on the 'Writing' page because I want to focus on Jon Foreman's position as he wrote this song. I assume he wrote it, or at least began writing it, once he had turned twenty-four. The passage of time has always left me both fascinated and horrified. As for Jon, I love the way he approaches this new year in his life.

"Twenty four finds me in twenty fourth place." That says it all, doesn't it? Even after twenty four years, he still feels like he hasn't made much headway in the race to Christ. Even after releasing a few albums and traveling the world with a successful band, he's still in twenty fourth place. "Twenty four dropouts at the end of the day." It doesn't sound very optimistic or hopeful, but at the same time, it is not depressing.

"I'm not who I thought I was twenty four hours ago. I'm singing, Spirit, take me up in arms with you." Twenty four is merely a milestone. Just like sixteen, eighteen, twenty one, fifty, one hundred... another year is just another milestone. I love that he turns it all over to the Spirit- the same Spirit who has brought him this far, and the same Spirit who will bring him the rest of the way.

"I'm not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out." I love that. I'm sure ol' Jono had no idea how far he would come in the next few years. I'm sure he had no clue where his passions and obedience to Christ would take him. It's the promise Christ gives us. He won't ever give up on us. And as long as we don't cop out, we will get to see the incredible stories he writes in our lives. He'll bring us to the finish line by his side. He'll show us the plans he has for us. Even if we don't know, and even if we don't see what's coming up around the bend, it doesn't matter.

He leads us there, and brings us through. He equips us in the dark times, and celebrates with us in the victories. "You're raising the dead in me." Hallelujah! We are saved, and there is nothing more to fear... ever. What can stand in our way? What can hold us back?

Nobody but ourselves.