That Old Writer’s Bell

There have been a lot of different things I’ve wanted to write about in the last few weeks. I would see or hear something that triggered a writer’s bell in my head, but I couldn’t make time to flesh it out.

I’ve been sick from the heat. I don’t do well when the thermometer goes over 72. It’s been in the upper 80s and 90s and very dry here in Wisconsin. Even with air conditioning, my brain feels like it’s cooking if I move even a little bit.

Responsibilities at home have been numerous. My husband’s many health issues came to the forefront.  Now, he needs a lot more care than he did a couple of years ago. My own health issues are still very much present. And because of my health issues, it takes me a lot longer to do the simple things a healthy person can do quickly.

My rose garden is suffering from a lack of attention. But, with the heat I have to limit my time outdoors. And when the sun isn’t beating down hot, the gnats, flies, and mosquitoes are in abundance making it nearly impossible to spend any length of time outside.

In the early mornings and the evenings, my dogs get the play time with me that they crave so much. While I’m moving with them the bugs aren’t quite as annoying.

And, of course, there are always the household chores, the shopping duties, the menial tasks of day-to-day living. Oh, and did I mention I still need to find time to sleep somewhere in there?

But, any writer who writes consistently will tell you, there will always be things to trigger what I call “the writer’s bell.” These are moments, little hints of ideas, swatches of thoughts that have the potential for more significant writing pieces.

Just today I had a couple of them that I consciously recognized. One was when a woman corrected another for her use of a slang term and called it “juvenile.” And a second was in a discussion with a friend when we were discussing the importance of having open communication and understanding in a relationship. A writer will hear a little voice in their head, their own voice, saying “I should write about that.” That’s the writer’s bell I speak of.

The problem for me is that when the bell goes off, I think I have enough thoughts, opinions or information to write about whatever the topic is. But, when I sit down to actually put the words down, my mind goes blank. Or, I second-guess if I should actually write the thoughts that I’m thinking because my opinion may offend a large group of people.

After all, who am I to step in and say someone should or should not use a particular phrase as an adult? I’m a 15-year-old kid inside this 53-year-old body and I know it! I can behave as a 53-year-old if I have to, but it’s more fun to be the wild 15-year-old. So, even though I have strong feelings about this particular “writer’s bell”, it may never be written and published for anyone else to read.

As far as the open communication, I think I’ll probably write that one up. It will likely end up as a post in this blog even. Because I think that is something experience can give you expert status in. At more than 50 years I’ve had many different relationships. (I don’t mean just romantic ones.) And as I look back, the ones that never made it all the way, failed because of either lack of open communication, or judgment without sympathy or understanding.

I try to take notes every time the writer’s bell rings. Usually, though, I’m in the middle of something with no way to make a note. I simply pray I can get it written down before it slips through the door of my memory. Forever that bell will ring, because, as a writer, it’s just part of who I am.