Through Lattice Windows: A Writer's Sacred Bond
"If we are to write well, for example, we must read well and think well. Similarly, if we are to think well, we must read well and exercise our mind by writing well,'' says columnist Leanne Hunt.
I spent the better part of a day reading online articles by gifted writers. It was a spiritual experience. I was seeking inspiration and strength, and I found them. This got me thinking.
Sandy James, on her webpage "Principally Sandy" psandy.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html talks about a triad of reading, thinking and writing. The three functions are undeniably interlinked, and strengthening one necessitates strengthening the other two as well. If we are to write well, for example, we must read well and think well. Similarly, if we are to think well, we must read well and exercise our mind by writing well. Each skill places a demand on the other two skills in a way that is reminiscent of the holy Trinity.
The holy Trinity is at the centre of Christian doctrine. Father, son and Holy Spirit are depicted as three Persons yet, at the same time, they are one Person who is God. This is a deep mystery which invites those who seek truth to ponder. I pondered, and obtained a fascinating insight. Reading, thinking and writing enable and support each other like a sacred triangle.
Reading is the side of this triangle which recognizes the work of other people. It is open, interested, alert, bold, excitable and occasionally voracious. In terms of the holy Trinity, it corresponds to the Spirit and is the spiritual exercise of a writer. Reading equates to connecting with humanity, seeing life through other peoples' eyes, becoming empowered and energized for action, and growing into a more conscious human being.
Thinking is the side of the triangle which processes information and filters it into usable components. It is compassionate, intentional, responsible, resourceful,decisive and veiled in secrecy. It corresponds to the Person of the Father in the holy Trinity and is the writer's critical faculty. Thinking equates to receiving unsorted information, evaluating it, allocating it to various needs and initiating the work of creation or, in certain cases, destruction.
Writing is the side of the triangle which expresses the decisions taken in thinking. It is active, actual, concrete, accessible, representative and often bursting with passion. It corresponds to Jesus Christ the Son in the holy Trinity and is the way, the truth and the life to which a wordsmith is devoted. Writing equates to comforting the broken-hearted, exposing hypocrisy in society, carrying the cross of human suffering and rising above the judgement of others in celebration of life and hope.
Seen this way, reading, thinking and writing are not just mundane tasks performed by egotistical people pursuing material gain. They are, instead, sacred practices. As we engage in them with thoughtfulness and respect for others, we become priests of God.
The mystery of divine union may be too deep for us to grasp all at once, since we cannot simultaneously read, think and write, but it is something we can appreciate in deepening measure as we develop our skills.
