I really like the quote we used on our latest bookmark:
"Everyone has three lives: a public life, a private life, and a secret life." (Gabriel García Márquez)
We live our lives in these layers. As people get to know us and as we allow them to get closer to us, they progress past our public life and towards our private and sometimes even secret lives.
The fascinating thing about writing, though, is that when we write we tend to bypass this expected progression. I've found this to be especially true of creative writing. Through my writing, I end up sharing profoundly personal thoughts and experiences with people I don't even know, who I may never even meet. These people, who are barely even on the radar of my public life, are invited to enter into my private and secret lives through the written word.
As writers we often chose to break the rules of social etiquette for the sake of artistic expression. Or, perhaps it is for a deeper reason. Sharing our writings allows us to wear a broken mask, covering just enough of our face that we feel comfortable sharing, yet exposing just enough that we are able to share in an honest, compelling manner. I believe we share, not just for the sake of sharing, but in hopes that we will connect with someone out there, and in doing so that we will feel less alone. We find solace and meaning in shared experiences. We find purpose in being able to say, "I've been there too... don't give up, you can make it through" and "I've experienced that too and isn't it grand!"
Through writing, our lives converge. That is what Chrysalis is all about. We come here to share, to invite others into our lives and to be a part of theirs as well. And perhaps somewhere in this clumsy encounter, we will find something more than the mere exchange of ideas.
