Ongoing conversation with self

So...I talk a lot. No, really, I do....especially in written format. I was pondering that last night during a frenzy of inspiration with posting three blogs in rapid succession. As I read back through them, my first thoughts was, "Wow, I need to concentrate on restraint. That's a LOT of words going on."

Brevity. That can be a painful word for a writer, and particularly so for me. That is clear from the blunt LACK of brevity in my posts - I'm not good at practicing restraint. I dive into the written word and literally luxuriate in the endless possibilities, pulling words together, weaving them into endless variations of fabric. See? I'm doing it right now....going off on a tangent. Reel it back in, sister!

Most Eastern studies focus on the purity of restraint. Paring down the personal existence in order to clearly see, hear, feel, taste, touch and think...regard the reality of what is surrounding you. Is it possible to have that clarity if you engage in a constant feast of excess, even if that excess is focused on words? I think there is much to be said for both sides of that proverbial fence. I have read, many a time, a single sentence that struck me so powerfully, that was so dense and rich in emotion that it transported me. Conversely, I have read long epistles that were equally rich, informative and sure in taking me on a journey with lyrical wording of such depth that my soul was dancing gleefully in response.

Which critter do I wish to be? The needle sharp, brief statement that rockets into the brain of the reader and delivers a heart punch of sensation? Or the slow, steady build up of thoughtful prose that wraps around the same reader's mind and heart and communicates in a manner they had never pondered? I'm greedy - I want to be both. Can I be both? Of course I can. I am confident in my ability to write in any format. Have I accomplished brevity here, today in this post? Probably not, but I have thought about it!

One of my all-time favorite quotes is as follows:

"I am a man well blessed and content, for thank God, I can read." ~ William Butler Yeats

That is a beautiful example of brevity, and at the same time, it manages to speak eloquently, opening up vast expanses for the mind to contemplate. Perhaps it is true, that I am a long, newsy, chatty writer. I'm good with that about myself. It doesn't mean I can't benefit from self-editing, of course. And I'll get to that....eventually. It's an ongoing conversation I have with myself. Feel free to join in. Opinions are always welcome!