How to Be a Stronger Writer

I went to a friend of mine today for a little bit of advice

I value his opinion and wanted to hear his thoughts

You see, I was having a problem with my writing style

I told him that I was afraid that my writing was nothing but base

Surface type stuff, and that there wasn't anything to it

He told me that while they were pretty easy to read

There was a great deal of depth in my poetry

He said that maybe I just needed some new experiences

I contemplated this for a moment

Should I jump off a cliff?

Should I hitch hike somewhere I hadn't ever been before

What could I do that would be new and exciting

What have I ever done that has been different or unique?

My life is uneventful so far

My friend told me that I was just safe

I was comfortable with my surroundings

The things I wrote about were familiar for me

And they were easy to talk about

But what about the day that I was attacked, I think to myself

There was nothing safe and comforting in that instance

What about the day I received the letter from the oncologist

That said that they received my medical chart from my doctor's office

There was nothing comforting in the news that they found abnormal cells

In my last check up that needed further investigation

What about the day that I went to the clinic

Full of life and came home empty

That day was filled with discomfort

And I can't say that every day since then has been full of misery

But I have had times when my skin crawled with that feeling

One can only have after coming out of a horrible situation

What should I do to make my life more interesting?

What experiences should I partake in to find a greater sense of fulfillment?

What can I use for inspiration the next time I sit down and write?

Do I really need to risk my life by jumping off a cliff?

Or climbing into a stranger's car?

My friend's advice did not include anything quite so drastic

He suggested that I go home from work a different way

He said that sometimes it's the little things that you can do to change your perspective

Give your mind a jolt or something new to look at

Tomorrow I will give that a try

I will leave the highways I have come to know

And take a chance on finding something worth writing about

Hidden somewhere in the old neighborhoods

Where the little old men and women sit and rock in their porch swings

And think back over their lives

And remember when they were young

As I drive along I will take a moment to imagine what it is

That they are thinking

Maybe they are remembering the joy of their first kiss

Or what life was like during the Great Depression or World War II

Maybe the slow ride home will give me a moment

To remember things I have long since forgotten

And then I will go into my room

And grab a pen and paper

And wait for the voice of inspiration to ring in my ears

Or for my own distant memories to find their way onto the page