Just sit down and write

You know, I struggle sometimes to sit down and write a column. Sometimes nothing comes to me. There is no flash of inspiration, no one thing that screams, “Hey write about me!”

But, I made a promise to myself at the beginning of the year that I would do my best to write a column every week. Maybe I should reconsider. Just kidding.

I actually do enjoy writing it. Sometimes it gives me a chance to pause and reflect on myself. Other times it allows me to blow off some steam.

Occasionally I get political, which really raises peoples dander. But mostly I try to write more of a personal essay.

Have you ever done that? Just sat down and wrote a personal essay? It’s not easy. It forces you to think back on your life and really try to figure out what was going on then.

Take for example my senior year in high school. I graduated from North Pole High School in North Pole, Alaska. Yes there is a Santa Clause house in North Pole, and yes the town is decorated like Christmas year round. Some people love it, some don’t.

During my senior year though, I was only focused on one thing, getting out of school. I think I had a strong case of senioritis when I was a freshman. I didn’t like school. I wanted out.

Oh sure, there where things I enjoyed about school. And yes, there are friends that I still manage to keep in contact with on some level.

See, I squandered my senior year away. I didn’t go to prom, granted I wasn’t dating anyone at the time but still, I didn’t attend graduation, and I rarely made it an effort to get involved in anything. I didn’t care.

I have one thing to say about that, Boy was I stupid!

I missed a lot. I guess I wish I could have been more involved in school. But it was my choice. Nobody held a gun to my head and told me I couldn’t get involved. I just didn’t. But I don’t have regrets about it.

I think it is ok to acknowledge that you screwed something up and not harbor any remorse for it.

Maybe I am wrong, who knows.

As my kids get into high school though you can bet I will encourage them to be involved. I hope that they are able to do everything they want in high school.

And now I have been rambling. My English teachers have always said that in order to get some writing done you simply need to sit down and write. Write about what ever pops in your mind, it doesn’t matter. Just write. I guess I did.

Hey! Maybe I got something out of school after all!