Our Walk toward Wisdom

Write for 15 minutes. That is today’s challenge from Writer’s Digest.

I do not understand what is happening to me with this dissertation journey. I feel an enormous amount of pressure to write in a way that is just not natural for me. In a way, this is actually beneficial; I understand how my students must feel every single time I expect them to write in a way that is not natural to them.

I have always prided myself on being a good writer, however – or – in actuality – being a writer. Why can I not just do what they have asked me to do and be done with it? I hate APA style, for one. And I really think that a small part of me is also just afraid to be done. School will be finished. I am not sure what that will do to me.

They call a doctorate a terminal degree. Like it’s cancer – or a death sentence. Why such an awful term? Perhaps because that is actually how it feels? Why couldn’t they call it a Summit Degree – Pinnacle Degree – Celebration Degree – but a Terminal Degree. How absolutely morbid. It’s no wonder I dread the thought of even opening my dissertation.

Writing like this is effortless. The words just flow out of me.

Poetry prompts yield the same ease.

But APA? The very thought of it makes me gag.

How can I get past the hump? What can I do to make it less painful?

Maybe jumping ahead to Chapters 4 and 5, right?

I cannot stand Chapter 2.

OK – new subject. I found a template for a “burn” poem. It’s in the shape of a flame – and the idea is that students “burn” everything about 2025 that they do not want creeping into 2026. It feels like quite an engaging activity. I think this is how I will begin school when we go back on the 20th. A burn poem. It follows Naomi Shehab Nye’s poem, “Burning the Old Year.” Fascinating.

That’s what writing should be. It should serve a real purpose.

Authentic.