I am often asked to explain the meaning of my blog name, “Light From the Deep.”  A simple question that should have a simple response, but one I’m at a loss to give because there is no simple definition. Instead, it is one that involves a lengthy backstory.

When a reader begins a novel, she typically starts with the first chapter of the book.  However, when the author begins writing the novel, she typically does not, for the creation of a good work of fiction normally begins with the backstory, the place where the story world is built and the characters are born.  Where the author wrestles with many questions, such as where is the story set?  Who are the characters?  What were they like as children?  How did their life experiences affect the way they think and act?  What are their habits and quirks? What are their fears and frustrations?  What are their dreams and desires?

A backstory can take months, even years to create.  And much of this content will never even make it into the book.  However, the creation of the backstory is critical as it provides the author with intimate knowledge of the story’s setting and characters, invaluable details that offer the insights necessary to write a compelling novel.

In my attempts to come up with a short and concise explanation for my blog title, one many years in the making, I’ve come to discover the need to first share a bit of its backstory.

The story began just over 20 years ago.  I was in my mid-twenties, several years out of college and newly-married.  A product of a suburban upbringing, I had followed a somewhat conventional path to adulthood, participating in activities such as recreation league and high school sports, church youth group, summer jobs at the local mall, and many hours on the phone with friends.  Creatively inclined, I expressed myself in mainly practical ways through activities such as sewing, journal writing, and crocheting.  

Working as a bank teller during my last year of college gave me the “in” I needed to begin working my way up the corporate ladder after graduation.  After paying my dues in various administrative jobs, I was offered my first professional-level position several weeks before my wedding.  A new husband.  A new house. A new job.  I had it made!

Several months later, while driving home from work, a grueling and lengthy commute around the D.C. beltway to a Baltimore suburb, a startling thought came to mind as I found myself once again stuck in gridlocked traffic. “Is this all there is?” I wondered. I had worked so hard to get where I was, and what did I have to show for it?  An hour and a half drive home after a stressful work day.  Barely enough energy to make dinner and do chores before crashing into bed.  And nothing more, it seemed, but the chance to wake up the next day and do it all over again.

As a Christian, I knew there was certainly more to life than that, but the pace and overwhelming “noise” in life was drowning out that still, small voice, leaving me feeling empty and unfulfilled.

And so my quest began to discover ways to learn how to cut through the noise.  A quest for ways to live a more purposeful and meaningful life.  And ways to simply find joy and peace in the moment.

After a decade in corporate America and many attempts to silence the noise, I left the workforce after the birth of our first child, hoping the pace of life might slow down enough for me to catch my breath.  But the pace didn’t get any slower and the noise only seemed to get louder.  So my quest continued.

The path I followed from there (a backstory for another day) eventually led me to embark upon trip to Guatemala with a Christian organization to visit and spend time with several of the artisan cooperatives they worked with and served.  And, in an effort to keep in touch with family and friends during the trip, I decided to start a blog to document my adventure.

Being the creative and introspective person I am, the idea of starting a blog had been on my mind for a while and this trip provided the fuel I needed to finally launch one.  So I set out to create a travel blog, one that would initially allow me to document my Guatemala trip experiences and eventually to express my thoughts as they related to my quest to cut through the noise and to share insights gained on this journey we call life.  But first, the blog needed a name.

“Beneath the Surface” was the first title that came to mind for the blog; however, not only did I feel it was too common, it was also taken.  So back to the drawing board I went and after much thought and reflection, I decided upon the name “Light from the Deep.”

And that, dear reader, is the backstory of my blog.  One needed to better understand the definition of its title.  A definition that will be shared in my next blog.  Stay tuned…

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