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Why we read and write a la Katrina Kennison

Naomi
Results of my recent trip to the library

In this recent post on her blog, Katrina Kennison, author of The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir and Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry,
wrote about how she recently holed up at her mother’s house in her old room for three weeks in order to write her next book.  Her entire post is great, but this part especially resonated with me:

“We read,” wrote C. S. Lewis. “to remember that we are not alone.” It is also why we write.  To remember that we have much to learn from our most difficult conversations with ourselves and with each other.  And that in sharing the truth of who we are and how we struggle, we remind another struggling someone that they do not journey alone.

Does it also resonate with you? Feel free to share… I know most of you peeps are avid readers too.

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10 responses

  1. Jen Zimmerman

    I am stalking your blog today and am so happy to have found this post (and the link to Katrina’s lovely blog). I had big plans for cleaning on my day off today, but the reading and writing are much more fun! I really enjoy your blog, Naomi.

    Reply
    1. Naomi Wittlin

      Thanks! I could spend an entire day reading blogs. I’m so “behind!”

      Reply
  2. sunsetseasoul

    My whole life, my best friends have been books. Sometimes I worry that I live with one foot inside my latest friend of choice and the “real world”, but I could have done worse as bad habits go, right?

    Reply
    1. Naomi Wittlin

      Definitely! 🙂
      What’s so great about the real world anyway?

      Reply
  3. christina

    i find that reading reminds me not only that i am not alone, but also that i am connected–to the stories i am reading, to the events in history i am learning about, to people who are reading other things, and to people who have read what i am reading. for me, it’s a community thing. and, maybe most importantly, it reminds me that i am not the center of the universe. not by a long shot. great posts, dearest na! love you!

    Reply
  4. Anne Camille

    “We read to remember that we are not alone”. How true! While the activity of reading can be an escape, it always leads us away from our solitariness and right back to our common humanity. I don’t think that all writing (or reading) is cathartic in that it is always about a struggle, but it can, and frequently does, serve that purpose.

    Reply
    1. Naomi Wittlin

      Anne, thanks for commenting! I agree that good writing leads us to share a common humanity. That, or just a nice escape!

      Reply
  5. seekraz

    That’s beautiful, Naomi…and yes, a reader indeed. The material from many of my earlier posts were written years ago when I was wrestling with my thoughts on many things…and I found that it was cleansing and cathartic, somehow…figuring out what I thought about my life and the bigger one around me…and it was validating to find myself in similar footsteps when I followed other authors into the lives of their books.

    Anyway…nice post this morning…as always. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Naomi Wittlin

      Thank you, Scott. I found the same. Especially in difficult times, it was so helpful to know others had been there before me and that times would improve. My Momoir class was a similar experience. Cathartic to write; cathartic to read others’ work.
      Thanks for following along!

      Reply
      1. seekraz

        Always my pleasure, Naomi…and you’re most welcome. 🙂

        Reply

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