Why I Write

Poet and Author Ingrid Herndon Greene Reflects on Writing as Therapy in Her Essay “Why I Write”

Red Lava

Me
Supernatural electricity
I am poetry.
Ages ago and forever the nervous system of God.
Purple, plum, and wine
Energizing hues
Yes, I am poetry.
Waterfalls, rapids, and volcanic thunderings
are all inside of me.

Ingrid Herndon Greene

Nationwide — I am inwardly driven to write about myself, my surroundings, my bloodline, and about others. It is a burning desire that I feel. Writing is my way of sharing. It also is the way that I give back some part of what has been given to me. A lot of time and energy was invested in me in my early years. Now I am over flowing with enthusiasm. Writing is my spiritual outlet. I write honestly of victories or severely painful experiences. The point of my writing is to keep my mind open, unbound, and full of hope. I find writing to be a powerful tool. Used with a little faith and a great deal of wisdom my writing is a source of inner healing. Writing is therapy.

By writing, I can control how I feel about anything that occurs daily. I get to examine my experiences and draw my own conclusions about what is strong and healthy or perhaps what is very negative and depressing. Writing quenches my curiosity about what motivates others to act in various ways. It is my hope to communicate peace and strength to the reader. When I am gone I want to leave something written behind that will make a difference in the life of some other individual. By way of honor, it is my belief that proper role models are to be appreciated. I have been surrounded by upstanding individuals most of my life and I believe that I can keep these people in my heart by writing about the excellence of their character. I have met a few scoundrels along the way too. Writing about problems has made me stronger. I choose life and not death. I hope that my writing is reflective of a strong will to live.

I was a young wife and mother married to an older stern husband. I have survived years of depression. In the midst of being in a violent household, I escaped from intimidation through writing poetry. Writing poetry gave me peace of mind and hope for a better future. Because I escaped domestic violence unharmed I wrote an essay about my sad experience of being married. By writing I can fly freely like the eagle. My mother told me as a young adult to “work out my own soul’s salvation.” I will be faithful to write continually because writing has been my soul’s safety net. I write because I get contentment from writing and a better self-image. I see writing as part of the solid rock that I stand upon. I predict that in the future my writing will take me on an adventure and open doors for me that I do not know exist.

I was raised as a Christian and taught at an early age to believe in a higher power. I grew up reading the Bible. Now I write to fulfill a spiritual requirement. I believe it is true that “to whom much is given much is required.” I am thankful for the opportunity to write using any talents or skills that I possess. Furthermore, being divorced and having lived with depression, writing fills a void in my life. I am determined to fill the emptiness in my life with creative self-expression. Writing is my humble way of keeping a clean and sound mind.

Certainly, writing for me is an answer to a sincere prayer. It is a way to express the love of God within me. I do not know what the future holds but I am sure that writing will be a part of my future.

Ingrid Herndon Greene is a poet and author. To learn more about her work, contact her at IHGSTUDIOS@yahoo.com or call (347) 702-3633.

 

PRESS CONTACT:
Ingrid Herndon Greene
IHGSTUDIOS@yahoo.com
347-702-3633