Writing Outside of Paper

I was running late for class yesterday. Lucky for me, the teacher was also. 

Unfortunately, Providence hasn't had a history of favoring me, but once in a while, meaning I'm on my own for a time. I will have to set my alarm earlier so I can get my writing done I suppose? 

Have you ever found this strange, dear Reader, that writers tend to do the most of and their best writing when they are away from a pen and pages?

I say, writers, though I guess that's just a broad assumption I'm making, that all writers are this way. I suppose I made that assumption because I am at my best when away from anything I can write on. Or I was yesterday when racing across campus.

The fountain I have passed on my way from class to class always seems to remind me of the story “Refraction” and my previously asked the question “Have you ever looked at yourself or anything in the water?” 

When I passed the fountain yesterday, my mind just clicked, I thought what would I see in the refraction of the fountain’s water?  How would this differ from the pencil? The fountain was turned off yesterday, making it the perfect time for gazing into its waters, which is what I found myself doing in spite of my rush yesterday. But, as I turned back around to make my way over I was almost too nervous to look! 

As I leaned over the edge, and I saw my reflection, there I was. The shadow of the sun over my head slightly distorted my face.  Standing there I begin to smile. I was bending and waving in the water. It was entirely a different view from my pencil in the glass of water, the distortions making it appear as broken. But my face was still whole. The fountain had a small ripple that my face waved in rhythm with. 

This is where I began writing without paper.

The character James, my protagonist in "Refraction", would view himself differently? Wouldn’t he? Would his reflection resemble mine? Or is it a different reflection all together? Does he see himself as I see him or does he view himself with a different light as if he were viewing at an earlier time of day with the sun behind his back?  The light would be different as well as the shadow it reflected. His character is set in my mind, but as I looked at my own reflection, I wonder if his personality is indeed defined in the character I have drawn for myself? Just a slight variation in the water from a single droplet can create a small ripple effect causing my reflection to move while completely distorting my view to a new perspective of Refraction.

I remember as a child going to the beach and putting my feet just at the waters’ edge.  I could see through the water my toes as they wiggled.  I watched as the Guppies swim past, and as I tried to reach down and grab them. Somehow, I always missed them.  I thought I wasn’t fast enough to catch them,  but now I understand the concept of Refraction.  It wasn’t my speed; it was Refraction as well as the light from the sun.  Refraction was the cause of my distortion, allowing me to believe they were right there at my feet.  When putting my hands into the water I assumed I could just pick them up right from where I stood.

Looking back at the fountain from yesterday, It's odd how writing without paper works. Nothing is concrete; everything is always flexing or waving. I felt distantly close to my story, almost if a reader discovering my own book. My perspective rippled and waved when I was outside my pages. The feeling being something like seeing a reflection of my written words.

I see Refraction is a little deeper than I first acknowledged.

Lily.