Monday, February 26, 2007

In My Humble Opinion….


I’m opinionated. There, I admitted it. I’ve taken my first step to recovery. It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that I am opinionated. I mean what else would make a graying, middle-aged man publish on the Internet? I’m certainly not making any money at this. I would suppose that I am exhibiting a certain amount of arrogance. (Ha! another step to recovery). Arrogance is what makes me think that my opinion is important enough to publish. My opinion is important enough for you to read.
So I write to the masses to get my opinion heard. Can you hear me?

[Silence]

Hopes are dashed. Hearts are crushed. Dreams are shattered. I’ve been at this a little while now. I would have hoped to have an audience larger than my perish. I believe that I will be successful at whatever I put my hands to. I am a good writer. My blogs are thought provoking. I am accomplishing what I have set out to do. So I write to be heard. Can you hear me?

[Silence]

Hopes are dashed. Hearts are crushed. Dreams are shattered. I narrow my audience focus. I advertise to my colleges. I seek their approval and even there help in getting out the word about my blog. More great things hit my mind. I write more frantically. I interview people I know who write and are published. I practice what they tell me. I continue to write to be heard.

[Still silence]

Hopes are dashed. Hearts are crushed. Dreams are shattered. I pick up the pieces one more time. I am told to continue to "hone my craft". I am not sure how to shape my opinion. My opinion is who I am. It is the essence of me. My life, my loves my character, my past and the way I think make up my opinion. I believe I have a good perspective on things (arrogance). I want to get it out there. I want to be a success! I even attend writer’s workshops to improve my writing skills! I write so I can be heard.

[More silence]

Lord…I do this so I can get out what is inside. I want to reach many so that I can be a success for you. I have tried to improve. I have worked hard. I have written what you have put inside of me. I have failed. I dreamed of having hundreds of thousands of people reading what comes from my heart. Then I got realistic and aimed for thousands of people in my audience of readers. For a while I even hoped for a few hundred, but I have failed. It appears that only a few are interested. I am not generating any success, which I am told is a product of quality and blessing. I just wanted to do something great for you. When people of the world enquire about my doings, they laugh at the scale of it. I go to my denominational functions and answer my supervisors’ queries that ask about "how many". I am embarrassed at my answers. I can’t seem to generate an audience.

[Still silence]

Lord…since this is what I feel you want, I will keep on trying.

[A still small voice says]
Now, that’s success! Well done!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Authors and other creative personalities are often not recognized until after they are gone. Sometimes, writing is a tool for personal reflection that allows one to make discoveries about themselves that they can later pass on through other avenues. Don't become discouraged. You never know what lives you may touch that may never leave a comment.

Anonymous said...

Hi Eric,
I have been reading your blog... I did respond once but didnot get any response back from you. It stated that all comments must be approved by the author so I don't know what it means...
Fred

Anonymous said...

Well done! Bravo!

Rob (in Indiany)