I listen, I learn, I read. I can far from claim all my ideas are original, that I was the first to think them. Every idea is influenced by outside forces. Some things I write may sound a little familiar because sometimes I take an idea/concept I have heard about and “run with it,” expound upon it, make it take on a part of me. A part of me agrees with “everything that can be said, has been said” and “everything that can be thought, has been thought.” There is another part of me declares, though this may be true, no one has ever, in the history of the world, had my genetic make-up, has had every experience that has shaped me; thus, I am arrogant enough to presume I am unique and being so, say ideas in slightly different words, add to them from my life, alter them with what I have learned from my experiences. I would have to say, of writers, I am most deeply indebted to C.S. Lewis for influencing my thoughts for I have grown up with his works and read some of them multiple times. I will end this by saying, if something I write borders on plagiarism, it is unintentional and I will try to include in my writings what writing helped to inspire them, if any did. Because humans are all humans, because we all were created by the same God and all of us experience laughter and tears, joys and fears, some writings will naturally have similarities to others.
