Yesterday, I read a blog post, Creativity and Rejection: Is There a Link? It was quite interesting, including a snippet of a much-bleeped interview with Janis Joplin, so I forwarded the email to a group of writer friends. The conversation that followed has been fascinating.
Many of these writers have focused their comments on the kind of childhood one had (happy or lonely or abusive) and whether the author leans toward a darker, more pessimistic personality type, prone to depression, or whether the author leans toward the happy, optimistic side.
Can you guess which camp I’m in?
Hint: I have been called Pollyanna more than once in my life.
Some thought that it was a darker past and tendency toward depression that drove them to be writers. Not so for me. I just always loved words, and I have a vivid imagination. I am a born storyteller. Started as a child. They called it lying. <g> Seriously, I told stories to entertain. The better the reaction of my listeners, the longer I could spin those tales. I told stories in the letters I wrote. I told stories through my involvement in theater. And finally I began telling stories in novels.
I haven’t avoided difficult things, of course. Truth is, my adult life hasn’t been a cake walk. I’ve been able to glean lots of trials and heartaches for my writing from my own experiences. I also have an innate ability to empathize with others, which I think is a critical tool for a novelist and which I have cultivated over time.
Ultimately, I’m wired to be happy. I look for the best in people and situations. Always have. I had a wonderful, if not financially prosperous, childhood. Yes, my dad died when I was a baby, but I was loved and treasured by my mother and brother and grandmother and aunts and cousins. I had the very best of extended families, even with the shortage of men by the time I came along (one uncle and my brother were the only males in the family until my cousins got married). I am one of those obnoxious people who comes awake feeling happy and ready to have an immediate conversation about anything. When I was president of RWA, I roomed with the secretary at board meetings, and she asked me once, “Are you always like this in the morning?” Uh, yes. I am. Is there a problem?
I have since learned to have a little more pity on my introverted and/or night owl friends and loved ones (husband and oldest daughter included).
I heard the line I used for the title of this post from a friend, a fellow happy-camper. She was instructed by someone years ago not to sparkle before breakfast. I love that! It simply says it all, doesn’t it?
Happily yours,
Miss Merry Sunshine, singing “Cockeyed Optimist” from South Pacific as she signs this post
I am also the happy morning person…….While my husband is not (so sad…….I had dreams of us sitting at the breakfast table, sipping o.j. or coffee, reading the paper…..uh, yeah right!), I am hoping my little man will follow in my footsteps and learn the beauty of getting up early, seeing the sunrise and knowing how great it is to have the whole day before you!
I didn’t say that in my post, but I am, indeed, an early riser as well as a happy riser. My oldest grandson, from the time he was a toddler, was also an early riser. Guess now that he is a college student I should ask his mom if that’s still true. If I “sleep in” until 6:30 or 7:00, I feel like I’ve lost half my day.
I’ve always been a night owl, staying up way too late on Facebook when I should be in bed. During school breaks (I’m a teacher), I sleep in very late. I’ve always wanted to be an early bird. Do you think a person can willfully change from a night owl to an early bird?
Lisa, I do think you can retrain yourself to be a morning person. In fact, there is a book on my Kindle about it. There’s a book about it. The Early To Rise Experience: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days by Andy Traub. It’s been recommended to me by someone who read it. It’s a Kindle book and comes with bonuses, including audio. You might take a look and see if it will help you.
You make me smile! I have to admit I have always found sunsets infinitely more beautiful than any sunrise … But I say sparkle whenever you want because it comes through in all you do. I can read your books any time of day and till all hours of the night and be uplifted.
LOL! Thanks, Maria. 🙂
I admit that I am not much of a sparkler. I know how to be, of course, but is it innate? I don’t think so. I tend toward the melancholy. However, I tend to write sort of Polyanna so who knows. Maybe it’s just Christ in me that sparkles on the page!