Columnists
How Do I Know What I Think?
The Importance of Writing:
Janam Da Firangee,
Sikhi Main Mangee
FATEHPAL SINGH TARNEY
One of my closest friends is a Sardar, a military man like me.
He was born and raised a Sikh on the subcontinent and is a retired officer from the Indian Army. We frequently work in tandem on interfaith programs and school presentations on Sikhism.
We have the advantage of offering two perspectives on our faith: that of a person born into it as well as that of the convert. Because English is not my dear friend’s first language, I have helped him with various writing tasks that he has had in English.
Helping him always reminds me of the importance of writing.
I recall a teacher workshop many years ago run by a superb English teacher. This was an older lady with many years of teaching experience. I shall never forget her words: “How do I know what I think until I see what I have written?”
Every time I write anything, including my sikhchic.com columns, I keep her words in mind.
Another useful thought I have pertains to the idea of writing as a form of self-therapy as well as communication to others. I suspect that as writing helps clarify our thoughts, it can, in turn, help to shed light on our emotions.
I recall an introduction to a book on suicide I read when I was a graduate student, in which the researcher made a vitally important point. He said that early in his research, he gained access to many years of suicide notes and letters left by individuals who had ended their own lives. These notes and letters were kept on file at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office in California.
At first, he was elated thinking that this would turn out to be a gold mine of information and insight into why people choose to end their own lives. In time, as he poured over all this material, he discovered just the opposite. Virtually all of this material dealt with the most mundane, trivial of concerns, such as:
“When I’m gone, please feed my cat.”
“I owe Johnny $3.50; please pay him from my wallet which is in my top dresser drawer.”
“The left rear tire on my car in the garage has low tire pressure.”
“I’m giving all my clothes to my younger brother, but most of it is in the laundry basket.”
All the notes and letters were of this type. However, this social psychologist did get a significant insight out of all this. Were these people able to express themselves in some meaningful way in writing, they probably would have found some reason to go on living.
I connect this with my Sikh faith in a very smooth and natural way. I turn to our Guru Granth Sahib for comfort and guidance. Such comfort and guidance together serve as a springboard for all of my writing and keeps me in chardi kalaa!
February 26, 2015
Conversation about this article
1: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, USA), February 28, 2015, 7:43 AM.
Fatehpal Singh Ji, you are following the Guru's teachings. Guru Nanak said: "So long as we live,we must share our thoughts with each other" [GGS:661]. This is the way to serve mankind and help elevate it to morality and spirituality. With this universal outlook, Sikhi brings together assimilates all that is good and true in all faiths.