From Playwright John Wolbers
Have you found getting motivated a little more challenging of late? Do things you love doing seem somehow harder? Not as interesting? You’re not alone. It’s hard to stay focused when we’re bombarded with so much drama, fear, and uncertainty in the world. You may feel like your story doesn’t matter in the greater scheme of everything that’s going on under our current circumstances.
But here’s the truth. It does. Your words and actions matter now more than ever. If you’ve been asking yourself lately, “but what can I do,” consider the words of Lord of the Rings author, J. R. R. Tolkien. “I have found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
One small act of kindness and love you can practice, both for yourself and others, is to write your story. #ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence is a campaign of theater activism designed to give middle and high school students across the country the platform to address the impact gun violence has on their lives and their community. They’re looking for ten minute plays from students just like you. Now, I know the topic of gun violence may not seem like your story, or it may seem too personal for you to share. So sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed, I try to think of things from a different perspective.
Let’s start with a simple example. Say I begin with Little Red Riding Hood. Everyone knows the story, and it’s kind of unrelatable to the world we live in today. But what if it’s not Little Red’s story? Why is Little Red bringing food to Grandma? Is it because Grandma is unable to leave her home? Does Little Red have to do the shopping, because Grandma’s under quarantine? How does Grandma feel about living alone relying on others for food? Does she have a phone? Computer? Does she know how to use them? Who does she talk to? Does she have any pets? If Little Red is traveling through St. Louis on her way to Grandma’s, instead of the woods, is Grandma worried about her safety? Is the wolf a metaphor for gun violence?
And now we have a story about a family’s frustrations and fears as they try to connect and love one another as best they can. That’s something we can all relate to, which is the great thing about writing. You can change the story. So give it a try. Share your story. And if you need a little distance, try writing from someone else’s perspective. Because whether you share something that’s true to your experience, or a completely new world of your imagination, your story matters.