That
tenuous perch we cling to—Should we go forward?—Shall we act?—Or should we stay
put and not take the leap into the unknown?
The
questions at times leave no clear answer. Is it time to quit that unsatisfying
job? Is it time to go back to school? Is now the time to communicate difficult
feelings?
We
lean over a precipice not knowing what result our future actions may bring.
What chain reaction, ripple effect or consequences will happen from our
choices?
We
realize that we don't totally understand our situation, other people, or the
challenges a new environment may evoke. How
can we decide with such imperfect information?
We
do have an option to do nothing new or different—that is also a choice—to let things remain the same. In
some circumstances that is not always bad. Time itself is a great changer. It has
a way of altering either the situation or how we see it.
As
I worked my way through the last edit of my novel, I was faced with questions
of what to change or leave the same. Would modifications to my phrasing,
changes in plot or cuts in content, make the story better or bog it down?
A
seemingly simple but continually confusing issue while editing was whether to
add or remove commas. Not a huge problem compared to life questions, but
vexing for a writer. Commas are, as Jim Whiting, children's
book author and editor, says, "Probably the most difficult form of
punctuation to use correctly."
The
rules of when to use commas are many and often free-flowing. Where one inserts
a pause or a comma can change the meaning of a sentence. Such as, "My
husband, said the cop, was in big trouble." versus, "My husband said
the cop was in big trouble." Big Difference!—Although not nearly as
entertaining as some of the autocorrect texts that we send each other! (Who was
it last week who texted me that she was "looking forward to getting back
out in the yard and making 'thongs' pretty?" I'm sure she meant
"things," but I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.)
It
is interesting to note that depending on where we "pause" in our
lives, where we stay or move forward, can change who we become and many of our
circumstances.
It
turns out some comma "rules" are not clear and are open to
interpretation. Like whether to put a comma before an "and" or not.
Too many commas or commas placed in simple, short sentences can interrupt the reading
and not give the reader credit for understanding the flow of the story and
plot.
A
great resource for punctuation, including comma punctuation, can be found
on-line at http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm. The oft'
remembered quote of Oscar Wilde, "I have spent most of the day putting in
a comma and the rest of the day taking it out." is mentioned in the
article. I too go around in circles about the need or not for a comma.
To
pause or to leap forward? To give the reader more cues or to assume their
intelligence or ability to interpret well?
Is
that not our life challenge? To give it a break or to advance? A bit of
"comma confusion" is normal. For we never totally know the mind of
our reader nor the personalities and inner workings of our friends, family,
co-workers and acquaintances.
Sometimes
we ride on the flow of the waves, not questioning much, just letting ourselves
be one with the movement. Other times a decision is called for, or an action
required. How will we punctuate our lives? Where will we linger? Will we be understood
or appreciated? Will we decide to leap—accepting our inability to fully know
the consequences of our choices?