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Written by Dr. Terry Chitwood

Melting the Ice: Freeing the Writer Within

Should I Leave a Trace?
Hope Springs Eternal

Melting the Ice: Freeing the Writer Within

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

In her book, Leaving a Trace: On Keeping a Journal, Alexandra Johnson quotes Franz Kafka: “Writing,” Kafka jotted in his journal, “is the axe that breaks the frozen sea within” (p. 9). If you let your imagination roam freely, you run into the multiple possible meanings of “the frozen sea within.” As a writer you ask yourself, “What has this to do with me? I’m not depressed like Kafka was. Or am I?” These questions lead to viewing “the frozen sea within” as frozen emotions.

Frozen Feelings

What emotion is embedded in the ice? Anger, sadness, fear, shame, guilt, bitterness, despair, hope, love, joy and/or ecstasy?  Your ice could contain any or all of these emotions or emotions yet unnamed. But would an axe be the proper tool used to gain access or maybe axecess to frozen feelings? A bomb, maybe?  Or, would that label you as prone to explosive outbursts? In any case, if you use an axe, you run the risk of killing or maiming your feelings. What can you do?

Melting the Ice

Melt the ice. “How can I do that?” With access to modern machinery, Kafka may have recommended using a blowtorch. But that would be overkill, with “kill” being the operative word. You don’t want to kill your feelings even though at some point you chose to embed them in ice. And that’s not n-ice. Paradoxically, you may have stored your feelings in ice because you felt you had to always be nice. That’s the ice in nice. However, if you allow yourself to treat (not tweet) your feelings with compassion, you could melt the ice with the fire of your love. “But what if my thawed-out feelings leave a muddy puddle of accumulated coffee that I drank frantically to break through writer’s block?” That won’t happen unless you ingested too much Kafkaee. I do like reading Kafka but too much Kafka may result in muddy puddles.

The Fire of Your Love

The fire of your own love may be difficult to stoke for a variety of reasons. Therefore, it helps if you believe in a higher power. From a Christian perspective, God’s love is the fire that can melt the ice, freeing your feelings and liberating the writer within. “The Fire of Your Love” is a song by Paul Wilber from his album Holy Fire. Some relevant lines from the song are the following: “The fire of Your love is burning within me, Consuming my heart, Restoring my soul.” “On Fire” is a song by Switchfoot from their album, The Beautiful Letdown. Four relevant lines from the chorus of the song are the following: “And you’re on fire, When He’s near you, You’re on fire, When He speaks.”

The liberated Writer

God liberates. Societal shoulds imprison. As a writer you need to have access to all your emotions. God allows this, without judgment. Don’t let religious shoulds replace societal shoulds. God’s a free-thinker. Once your feelings are thawed and your rigid belief systems are dissolved, you can write with divine fire. Even Kafka wrote from a meaning larger than himself. Louis Begley states, “…Kafka had realized that he lived for one transcendent reason only: to write stories and novels” (“Kafka: The Axe for the Frozen Sea inside Us”).

Remember God’s first writer’s commandment: If I call you to be a writer, write without inhibition. Write from love, not for money. Write on My sky with your pen of fire.

Photo Credit:

Photo by Steve Jurvetson

Flickr CC License

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Should I Leave a Trace?
Hope Springs Eternal

Filed Under: Writing Tagged: Alexandra Johnson, Kafka, Leaving a Trace, writer, writing

Comments

  1. Christina says

    March 1, 2011 at 8:30 pm

    Great post! I enjoyed reading. Very helpful tips and insightful!
    Christina recently posted..Ballet on IceMy Profile

    Reply
    • Terry says

      March 3, 2011 at 5:20 pm

      Thanks. I’m really glad you like it!
      Terry recently posted..Melting the Ice- Freeing the Writer WithinMy Profile

      Reply
  2. Rebecca says

    March 3, 2011 at 4:51 am

    Stopping by from Thought Provoking Thursday….

    have to admit, my emotions stay on ice…memories from the past that haunt me, at times. Yet, God is sovereign. He took me to those dark places and brought me through them for his glory. You’ve given me the courage to look at all of my past so differently. One of freedom….not of chains and bondage! Thank you!
    Rebecca recently posted..Multitude Monday 695-721My Profile

    Reply
    • Terry says

      March 3, 2011 at 5:27 pm

      Thank you for your comment, Rebecca.It sounds like you already have a lot of courage. I’m happy I could help you with a new perspective.
      Terry recently posted..Melting the Ice- Freeing the Writer WithinMy Profile

      Reply
  3. RuthintheDesert says

    March 3, 2011 at 8:54 am

    Good points! I like the idea of thawing that frozen idea within me and setting it free on paper or in cyberspace.

    Reply
    • Terry says

      March 3, 2011 at 5:31 pm

      Thank you, Ruth. I hope your ideas reach the people meant to receive them.
      Terry recently posted..Melting the Ice- Freeing the Writer WithinMy Profile

      Reply
  4. Patti says

    March 4, 2011 at 3:10 pm

    This is such an encouraging post and just what I needed to read right now. I think I need to put this in front of my desk: “If I call you to be a writer, write without inhibition. Write from love, not for money. Write on My sky with your pen of fire.”

    I think passion in writing comes from putting our hearts on our sleeves (or on the paper/screen!) and that means vulnerability. To the whole world! It’s scary, but if I am really God’s girl I can rest in His amazing freedom. Thank you for your encouragement!

    Reply
    • Terry says

      March 4, 2011 at 6:37 pm

      Thank you for your commment, Patti. I’m glad my article encouraged you and your passion for writing. Good luck with your writing.
      Terry recently posted..Should I Leave a TraceMy Profile

      Reply
  5. Creenoborogma says

    March 15, 2011 at 8:31 pm

    The unutterable violence of the Holocaust shook our confidence in the possibility of telling any story of faith at all.

    Reply
    • Terry says

      March 25, 2011 at 9:13 pm

      Thank you for your comment. A horrific evil was unleashed upon the world through the violence of the Holocaust. However, God’s light and holy words still speak to us today through the words of Holocaust survivors. Corrie Ten Boom has written books of light and had numerous books written about her. Her autobiography ls titled The Hiding Place. Viktor Frankl has written Man’s Search for Meaning as well as other books that help give meaning in the face of suffering. God believes in giving people meaning.
      Terry recently posted..The Calling to WriteMy Profile

      Reply
  6. Ten Boom says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:17 am

    Hi Dr. Terry. Thank you so much for your post. You are such a good writer. True blessing from up above. I’m looking forward fro your nest post. You’re absolutely brilliant. Regards Ten Boom

    Reply
    • Terry says

      April 22, 2011 at 1:09 pm

      Thank you for your heartfelt comment. Your words warm my soul and inspire me to write.
      Terry recently posted..Softening the HeartMy Profile

      Reply

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February 24, 2011

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