Clippings: that was the term my ex-fiancee gave to the lines of poetry she would jot down in her journals – they would be jumping off points for her poems. I think anyone that has done any writing is familiar with this practice – you see something good, you write it down, store it away, think about using it, sharing it. In our days of social media, clippings usually take the form of photos and screenshots, memes and those annoying inspirational quotes superimposed over fields of flowers. On the one hand, I struggle with the banality of inspiration… It makes me think of those SNL skits “Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy.” And then a writer like David Foster Wallace reminds me of the beauty in banal sayings – His commencement speech “This Is Water” it’s an excellent consideration on how to live and think. This is a good video, but not the entire speech, which is also worth watching.
All of that said, I am not above taking screenshots of inspirational quotes. Having been madly in love with someone did something to my sensibilities. It gave me a whole new appreciation for loving through difficult times and complications. Doing so makes you think deeply about what you want in and from another person and how you can give, as unconditionally as possible, to another. I say that less in a checklist type of way, but more in a compassion and evolving type of way. I had a friend who seemed to believe that fighting in a relationship was unhealthy – I can’t remember how many times she would say she and her boyfriend never fought – as if that was normal (she also said they never talked about anything too deeply – so I suppose they had nothing to fight about). For her, either it worked or it didn’t. Her take, to me, often lacked nuance. Arguments lead to compromise, compromise leads to understanding, and understanding is key to any relationship. As far as I know, she has ended and walked away from every relationship she’s been in.
So… Without further ado, here are some of the digital clippings I’ve gathered over the past few months as I’ve looked for humor or inspiration or ways to show how I felt, how I loved, and how I want to be loved. Sometimes, I took pictures of people’s dating profiles – because deep down we’re often looking for the same things. Some are just things that made me laugh. Thank you to the friends that posted these things – believe it not, they sometimes help.
What We Want
How I’ve Felt
How I Try To Be
Funny
