A few days ago, I was contacted and asked if I wanted to be a content creator for Dubuque’s Odyssey community. When I first read the message I thought I should ignore it. However, something in my heart told me I should reply.
You see, a couple months ago I made the promise to myself to stop reading blogs. I wrote in my journal,
“I think there needs to be a blog post written with the title "The Blog to Stop All Blogs." I am terrified for my generation because we have the internet. Sure, I believe the internet can be good in many ways. And I love the use of social media in positive, memory capturing, connecting people and all that jazz kind-of way. However, my problem with the internet is that we never search for answers for ourselves anymore... My issue is that we search for answers in how to live our lives instead of just living…Because while many of these blogs are filled with good intentions and are written beautifully. I am tired of being filled with ideas on how to live my life. Articles like 10 Reasons You Should…. Or Why You Should…. Fill in the blank with whatever. So, I am no longer going to read blogs because I need to stop reading and start living.”
This is kind of ironic for me to start writing for a blog. I’m not entirely sure why I said yes to this opportunity. Perhaps it’s because I love to write.
Ever since I wrote my first story in 1st grade about a young tiger cub lost in the woods and in search for his mother, I have fallen in love with putting my thoughts into words and letting my imagination run wild on a page. Writing academic papers, journaling, writing letters to people I love - you name it, I love to write it!
And while yes, I am sick of reading some articles and blogs. I cannot deny that many of the articles I read inspired me and said exactly what I was thinking. The goods outweigh the bad, and I’m excited to see where this journey… or odyssey if you will, takes me.
So why write?
I write because I get to share, think, and imagine. Throughout history, writing has been a way to share ideas and to connect people. It’s an art. Words can inspire, or words can discourage. Your choice of words and how you choose to share them can influence the people around you. Your words are, in many ways, one of the most powerful tools you have. I hope that my generation never loses the art of writing. Odyssey has encouraged that for millennials. It has given my generation the opportunity to share, think, and imagine. It opens the door for conversation, and sometimes it gives me a good laugh when I read articles that are unbelievably relatable to my life.
So I’m not writing to tell people how to live their life. I’m writing with the hopes of inspiring more people to write—to share, to think, to imagine. You’ll be surprised at the amazing ideas you stumble upon as you continue to write. (i.e. “The Blog to Stop All Blogs” Okay, I know that wasn’t my best idea but there is something to be said about living in the present...More to come on that later).
I don’t know, maybe I won’t be good at this whole blogging gig. But hey, the expert in everything was once a beginner. And I’ve been told the only way to become an author is to start writing. Maybe this will lead to me finally fulfilling my dreams and getting my story of the young tiger cub published. I’m telling ya… 1st grade Ruth wrote Pulitzer Prize-worthy material.
Stay tuned. I’m not sure what my brain will come up with next, but I hope it’s something amazing.
“The Ruth is On Fire”
