I imagined this scene the other day where I was at a dinner party and someone asked me ” So what do you do?”
In my somewhat twisted mind that is a bit of a loaded question. I could answer everything from “well I walk my dog everyday” to “I’m a nurse” to ( if I really feel like being a smart ass) “I “do” lots of things like sleep, eat, drink, laundry, dishes……” Yet I know in reality and in my imagined scene they were asking what I do for work and I reply “I am a writer”and this person says:
“Oh really? And would I be familiar with any of your works?” “What have you written?” Not that ANY of my friends talk like that and it was recently suggested to me that if they do I need to get new friends but lets move on.
Of course they are expecting me to name a book they can find on Amazon or in their local Barnes & Noble, or a magazine article or some newspaper byline but in reality my answer would be ( again with a touch of smart ass) ” Well lets see I’ve written tons of grocery and to-do lists, papers for school, permission slips for kids and nurses notes but I doubt you would find any of those on Amazon
“Oh and I blog.”
Finally a somewhat plausible answer to that question. In reality the real answer is “I am a writer other because I write.” I write for pleasure, for the joy of it,for personal soothing,as a release and because I love creating sentences out of words. Just because you can’t find me in Barnes & Noble doesn’t mean I am not a writer. I am a writer because I write. End of story….pun intended just so I can entertain myself!
It is the same with running (or whatever you favorite activity is). I am a runner because I run. When people ask me about a race as in “How did you do” I use to think they were asking for my race results and I would hesitate and stumble over my answer and the words “slow” and “not very good” often punctuated the sentences I managed to form.
I quit doing that awhile back when I realized that my finishing time did NOT matter. What mattered was I did the race or the daily run and I was out there running. So the answer I always give now to “How was the race?” is “It was great! ” “I had a blast and I’m so glad I did it!” Sometimes people will clarify their question. “No I mean what was your finishing time?” And I say truthfully “I have no idea!” “I started, I finished and I had fun!” If they keep talking I keep walking!
So claim your answer to whatever it is you do! If you bike you are a cyclist, if you write you are a writer. Whatever it is you do that brings you joy please claim it. Click To Tweet
Do fill your paper with the “breathings of your heart” or your belly if it is a grocery list..or fill the air with your beautiful music, or your soul with poetry…as Nike says “Just do it”
And don’t forget to have fun while you are doing it and above all else you have my permission to channel your inner smart ass when answering that question “What do you do?”
Now go out and tri!
