A great collection of thought provoking points Jack. Much appreciated. Just a couple of thoughts inspired by what you offer.

Journaling> After nearly a life time of rejecting doing this practice, not sure why. Maybe I thought it a futile effort. Not long ago I'd slipped into an unusual depression/anxiety frame of mind. A bit scary and definitely unsettling. To my pleasant surprise journaling lifted me out.

I journaled about happiness and love, compassion , these specifically. After about a month I was 'cured', (yes, of course, the malady may simply have run out of steam of its own accord). Strangely enough, once I was feeling good about things the desire to continue the journal dried up! Gone. In fact I could barely squeeze out a sentence.

Conclusion: Maybe, just maybe, journaling has to be taken like prescribed medicine, specific journaling for specific issue.

Jerry B Jenkins: It probably would be most worth while to listen to anyone with those kinds of writing credentials !

Your observation: Re: After running out of our personal experiences then is when we really slam into that place where we really have to write!

Well said.

Tom