Self-discovery/Man's Search For Meaning (A must read by Viktor Frankl)/Who am I?/Why am I here?/What's my purpose in life?/etc. have been topics of discussion since the beginning of mandkind.
How those questions are answered depend on the individual. Some find answers through religious beliefs while others find peace on a private level. However the means by which you discover your sense of self, I believe there is a common thread- the element of surprise.
We have all had a moment or moments when we rise to the occasion and discover a hidden dose of additional strength. We see a capability in ourselves that we did not know existed until an opportunity presented itself; many times we don't recognize what we accomplished until the battle has been won.
Human beings are capable of far more than deemed imaginable. Maybe we are caught up in finding the negative and/or unwanted parts that reside within us. Maybe we're afraid of loss and failure and therefore refrain from expanding our horizons and discovering a bit more about ourselves. I know that I fear the unknown, but I also know that right now is a good time to dig in and find the person I know I can be. Maybe, just maybe, if we all allowed ourselves a glimpse of our inner strength, we'd see less inhumanity and hatred in the world. We may not be able to stop all of the bad from happening, but if we can add a bit of sunshine to another's rainy day, we will have helped someone see the good that lies within.
"A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well they strengthen their souls. Story-tellers and poets spend their lives learning that skill and art of using words well. And their words make the souls of their readers stronger, brighter, deeper." - Ursula K. Le Guin
(Side note: @greenbai_packers found the books in this photo for me a few years ago. They are a 1901 hardcover, hand-bound collection of Shakespeare's works. He knows me well.)
If I ever have the opportunity of publishing my work, I will use a pen name. JK Rowling did not use her first name, Joanne, because her publisher wanted to make sure that men and/or young boys would purchase and read the Harry Potter Series.
Anyway, I am currently considering T.B. Williams as my nom de plume and have used it a few times on poetry and prose and on blogs and other forms of social media. The photo below has a poem I wrote that contains deep significance. I know that no one will read this post, but I'll put it out into the universe nonetheless.
