I heard this phrase the other day, and it startled me. As I thought about it, I realized I knew exactly what it meant.
Moments of clarity have come to me in times of extreme duress. The death of a child, facing the barrel of a gun, the loss of a husband, a mother. I’ve also experienced moments of clarity when my newborn son was placed on my stomach, when the biopsy came back negative.
In other words, the valleys and the peaks of life.
Clarity is like being outside on a crisp and cold midnight, looking up at the stars, and hearing the pounding beat of your own heart. You know that you’re a small part of a whole, and instead of feeling frightened by this knowledge, it warms you. Clarity is the acceptance of who you are and where you are in life.
Wouldn’t it be nice if clarity was a gift, and we could give it to one another?
Ms. Karen,
I like this post.
Hm. For me, clarity is when an non-instrument rated airplane pilot lost in ‘pea soup’ breaks through the clouds to see good old Earth below.
As writers we need to our best to show clarity to our readers. Thanks for a great thought for the day.
Dr. B
Your comment reminded me of my step-father, who took me up in his plane, then feigned a heart attack. A few minutes later, evidently tired of the high-pitched screaming, he took the controls, managed to keep the plane from going into a stall, and patted me on the knee. I don’t think I spoke to him after that day.
I think our characters need to show clarity, while the author needs to remain hidden. Pay no attention to the writer behind the curtain.
Guess that why I speak through my photos.
Raven
http://cherokeebydesign.wordpress.com/
I think all artists speak through their art, don’t you? Writers tend not to think that they are artists, but we paint in words.