On Writing

To place our thoughts down in print is either one of the most mundane of acts or that of which is most carefully thought of. Sometimes the stream of consciousness flows out like a dam churning out love letters, diaries or blogs. Other times a blank piece of canvas holds us captive for hours, leaving us tired and weary for an essay, a novel, a poem or a speech. We write because we want to be heard – if not by the world then even just by ourselves. It is a mirror to our thoughts, a concrete manifestation of our ideas that stare back at us in our desired recipe of ABC’s.  Writing is breathing the world inside us to the world outside of us. It is our own secret made known with each word penned.

Not all secrets we tell will change the world.  The courageous ones desire this and make it their vocation. It is not an easy task, nor does it guarantee monetary dividends. To them though, this hope of being a catalyst is enough to live by.  Rowling’s Harry Potter has made her millions. Understood, as a profession, she must have had wished for Harry to at least apparate food on the table. As a vocation, she wanted Harry to wizard the world of the meaning of love, goodness and friendship. She has.

Others do not have such a clear vision in their mind. Some change the world accidentally with their words.  Maybe your diary sitting idly on the desk will – just as a girl named Anne Frank did.  Some never dream to have an impact but more often that not, they do, be it big or small.  The soul of writing lies in the beauty of our existence. As long as we are alive, we have something to write about. Just as we can change the world with how we live, so can writing change the world when we let our words live in it.

Write. Write the silliest things. Write and do not fear grammar, style and structure. Write about the moon, or the cheese that resembles it. Write of your conquests and your mishaps. Write for yourself and you may find that you too can be resonating what others feel.  Write because you are alive. Write because it is to let ourselves breathe and take flight