Why Write?

I suppose you are wondering where the title of the blog came from, Back on This Side of the Door. Well, for those of you who know that I love C.S. Lewis and the world of Narnia, the title of the blog is also the title of a chapter in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Upon Lucy’s return from the world of Narnia, she is met with the disbelief of her siblings that she ever entered such a world. When her siblings ask the old professor about the ordeal, he says, “There are only three possibilities. Either your sister is telling lies, or she is mad, or she is telling the truth. You know she doesn’t tell lies and it is obvious that she is not mad. For the moment then and unless any further evidence turns up, we must assume that she is telling the truth.”

This blog will feature writings from myself as I seek to interpret the world around me and the experiences that come with that – a world that at times seems almost unreal as I grapple with the incomprehensible nature of life’s trials, tribulations, injustices, and hopeful moments. Essentially, this is my ‘Narnia.’ As my thoughts carry me away, I walk through the wardrobe door and into a land that is somewhere between my temples and the extremes of my heart. And when I write about it and post it for you, I come Back on This Side of the Door, where I must face the possibility that you will not believe me. You may take from it what you will, but know that the portals through which we can access the world around us are well worth exploring.

“I write because I hold the conviction, smarmy as it might seem, that we must give back to that from which we take. Take a penny, leave a penny. What I’ve most taken from in my life is the banquet table of literature. What most fulfills my sense of worth are my own attempts to contribute to the timeless feast, to keep the food replenished and fresh.”

(Bob Shacochis, quoted in The Best of Outside)