words that make a difference: Shining a light on your own version of life

Words have been like a centerfold throughout my life. When I was young, it was all about learning to put my emotions into words. With age, I learned to focus those words and polish them into the most eloquent form possible. When I decided to study journalism and creative writing at SUNY Oswego, my goal was to have a practical life plan to parallel my desire to write. I strive to be a bestselling author, and to travel to seek material to write about.

Stories exist in every facet of the world, and I think it's the job of the writer to try to make sense of things that occur in each of our lives. This was the main goal of my nonfiction story, "Light Switches."  Alhough my cat survived the ordeal and lived for another seven years, the experience was one that lingered in my life. I wrestled with guilt for reacting the way I did, and for making my mother feel guilty also. Writing this story was a way to revisit that event, extract the lessons I learned, and translate that lesson to reflect the human condition, and in particular, how young people handle loss and guilt.

The last lines are vital to the piece:

"I knew that I had to be strong. As we made our way to the door, I slipped my hand under the light switch, pushing it upward. When we stepped outside, that light was the only thing I saw except for the blackness of the night" (9).

When I first started writing "Light Switches," it was all over the boards, as many first drafts are. But in Creative Writing 208 (Intro to Creative Nonfiction Writing), I received feedback that helped me shape the essay. I owe tremendous thanks to Professor Donna Steiner, who helped inspire and encourage me throughout the writing and editing processes.

Recently, I encountered a quote from Chuck Palahniuk that I fell in love with, because of its complete veracity and relevance to writers:

"That's why I write, because life never works except in retrospect. And writing makes you look back. Because since you can't control life, at least you can control your version."