94 Questions

I found a list of questions to ask when developing a character for writing fiction on another website (Writers Write) and thought it would be good to ask those questions of ourselves. A good introspective tool....

I will not list the questions here, since I hope you will visit Amanda Patterson's page. However, I hope you will print out the questions and try to answer them for yourself. Take your answers to your counselor or mentor or spiritual advisor afterwords and talk it over.

Questioning who we are, what we were like at different stages of our lives, what we believe, and honoring those we loved best at different times is a good way to see how far we've come (or not) in our development as spiritual beings on the planet.

A good memory certainly helps this process. And if you have parents, ask them the questions, too. You will learn a lot about your history that you probably didn't know. And the phrasing of the questions helps to flush out the family history and put things in perspective.  

Some of the questions are pretty simple...

Who do I love most? For myself, my cats are my closest companions, while I have a few people I call friends whom I've known over 30 years. Some I've known over 40 years, I consider more family than friends. Then, there are the new friends whom I've known less than 10 years. They are like a breath of air from another part of the world. But close loves? That's private, and yes, the answer has changed over time.

The foods I like to eat have also changed somewhat. I still love Italian cuisine, although I change up my sauce every so often, depending on what's in the cupboard. I also like to experiment in the kitchen. Have I always been like that? No. Although I used to bake a lot more than I do today. And my love of hot, spicy foods has tamed a bit. Although I'm still up for a good, hot salsa! The curries are less, and the chiles are more. Go figure....

Have my hobbies changed over the years? Somewhat. I am less physical than I used to be, and I miss it. I particularly miss camping and hiking. My body betrays me when I get too physical, and I end up unable to move for several days. As much as I love the great outdoors, I have to be careful anymore. And horseback riding is out, although boating and swimming are still good choices. I still sew and crochet. My hands aren't as eager for the precision work of Clones Lace, but I try.

Have I traveled? Have I lost something dear? Has fate played with me? These are questions that need answers for each of us. The lessons learned are also questioned in the list. HOW was I affected? WHY is this significant for me?  By answering that, we learn more.

There is a section on the spiritual aspect of life, too. Answer those as best you can. 

Really, this exercise, while designed for fiction writers, has been invaluable for me!