Why do I love writing? I asked myself that question one day because it struck me as an odd thing to actually enjoy doing. I mean, really, sitting in front of a computer screen and plunking out a seemingly endless stream of words on the keyboard should be boring, right? Isn’t life about doing? I traditionally thought the fun was all in the doing, so I wanted to research and meditate on that puzzling conundrum.
As I pondered the question my mind revisited the talk President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave in the 2008 Relief Society General Broadcast. He talked of striving for God’s happiness and quoted Moses 1:39. “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
He goes on to say, “Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.
“The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.
“Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty . . .”
That was an ah-ha moment for me—a true epiphany. What I loved wasn’t the writing, it was the creating. The characters, the world they lived in, the problems they faced, and the resulting growth and maturity they experienced were my creations. They were real to me, even if only in my mind. I glimpsed in a microscopic way, the joy our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ must have felt as they created the Earth and all the creatures and people that live on it.
I noticed another strange phenomenon. The year I spent writing my books, was the happiest year of my life. I felt more content, had a brighter outlook on the future, and was physically healthier than at any other time I could remember. To sum it up, I felt great! I add my voice to that of President Uchtdorf’s, who challenged us all to go and create something. I promise you won’t regret it!
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