Recursion

My artist friend Jack called this afternoon.  "Robley, you sent Arlyn and me a message a few days ago.  Something about recursion?"

I had responded to another friend's Facebook post, which included an image reading RECURSION WARNING.  I wrote, "Without recursion, writing is dictation."

It seems that Jack and Arlyn had been puzzled.  He had looked up the word, finding meanings specific to mathematics, physics, computer science, logic, but nothing related to composition theory.

"Jack," I said, "writing isn't a hierarchical step-by-step process; it's a recursive one."  I then went on to tell him what he already knows without knowing the fancy academic language.

"Oh," he said, "I understand creation and revision."

"Yes.  That's it.  Just think of the root of the word: recur.  The writer goes forward and back, and forward and back, as does the artist."

And so do I, walking with my camera.  I return to specific places again and again -- like Lake Cheston and Abbo's Alley, shooting the same spots again and again, because I cannot have enough of them and because I can never make the just right photograph any more than I can make the just right essay.

Just like when I still acted and much preferred rehearsal to performance: the practice and the never getting it right equal magic.

Funny that a simple Facebook post can turn, and turn, and turn, in so many directions.  Funny -- and enjoyable.