Ruminate

I’ll be honest.  I wasn’t familiar with today’s Daily Post one-word writing prompt (ruminate).  It’s just not something I’ve heard anyone use in a sentence, so I had to look it up.  I hate to admit that, but it is the truth.  So today’s Daily Post writing prompt is also my “I learned a new word today!” moment!

To ruminate is to “think deeply about something,” to consider, contemplate, meditate on, muse on, mull it over, or ponder over.

When one ruminates, they are thinking carefully and using all facts and necessities. Rumination can involve anything – when we decide on a haircut (if the haircut is possibly a big change), consider making a major purchase (such as a house or car), or decide to take a big step in life and change careers/jobs, propose marriage (or think of proposing marriage), or deciding on wanting (or not wanting) children, we are ruminting.

To ruminate is not to do something half-heartedly.  It is thinking with your heart and your mind in equal balance, and not letting either decide on their own.  To ruminate is rational thinking.

I didn’t realize how much I actually ruminate in my life, without actually using this word!  When I ruminate, it is how I make decisions, or come up with my writing topics.  Two years ago, I ruminated about ending a relationship.  Nine months later, I ruminated about the possibility of entering another relationship.  In both cases, I didn’t make a mistake.  I ruminate before making a purchase, figuring out a budget and payments.  I even ruminate when considering seeing a doctor, as long as what I’m seeing the doctor for isn’t serious enough to warrant emergency treatment.

We ruminate over selecting doctors, surgeons, and medical practices. We ask people we trust, get references, and then decide.  Expectant parents ruminate over baby names – which one is cute, which one would sound professional in adulthood, what is a fad name, and we laugh about how actors give their children stupid names without consideration that their offspring will have to live with that name the rest of their lives.

As a writer, I ruminte over what I want to write about.  Do I want this to be a heartfelt piece, a funny piece, something short and sweet, something long and wordy?  Do I want lots of visuals, or would one picture or video suffice?  I ruminate about what would get alot of views, versus a passion piece that is very niche. I’ve learned that all writing (especially when it is to the audience I cater to) is meant to be a passion piece.  I’ve found that writing about something obscure gets alot of notice.  I ruminate about the audience I’m targeting, the words I’m using, and keeping it from getting too wordy, mouthy, or (in some cases) biased and opinionated (unless it is an opinion piece).

Last week, I wrote about the Sneetches, in honor of Dr. Seuss and his birthday.  I could easily have written a recap, since it was a twelve-minute video.  Instead, considering everything that has occurred in the media and among the general population regarding the elections (and the state of the population in general), and looking back on a lesson I learned in sixth grade, I changed the topic to what we as rational human beings, could learn from the Sneetches.  It hasn’t gotten many views, but I’m aware of when something reaches the right audience, and that people will react.  Not everything we write will reach everyone, and there are things I’ve written that some could benefit from, but they will never admit to, and therefore, not read.  I ruminate about that type of writing, and if I really want to use my voice in that way.  If I ruminate long enough, I’ll decide I want to, and because didn’t go in half-hearted, the piece winds up being what I want it to be.  It was written for me, but also for those who find it and feeling enlightened to read it.

I love this. I learned a new word AND was able to apply it to some much-needed early morning writing.  I love feeling this inspired.

Try not to ruminate on this concept – have a great day, and make it the one you want it to be.  No thought, consideration, or RUMINATION (see what I did there?!) necessary. 🙂

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