The Exhilaration of Experience

In April of this year, my husband and I went to Punta Cana with dear friends. During that trip, I went parasailing for the very first time. In this picture, I’m front and center, hands lifted high. Parasailing was one of the most peaceful and yet exhilarating experiences of my life. Floating sixty feet above beautiful blue water, the wind blowing softly, the silence and wonder surrounding me – it was a moment I’ll never forget. I’m typically a very cautious person and many of my friends were shocked to hear that I’d gone parasailing. Oddly enough, I wasn’t afraid. I was eager to do it. And I’d do it again a thousand times. That experience made me realize that to write well, we often have to push ourselves into new experiences. Experiences give us new words, new feelings, new places to draw from as we write. Though I’ll probably never stop being a cautious person, I’ve realized that the exhilaration of new experiences – be they small or great – is something I need to pursue in order to deepen the quality of my writing. For now, though, I’m just going to rake the leaves. 🙂