Topic: Finding Words

I've always loved the act of writing, simply sitting down somewhere, whether in a hotel room on vacation or in my study, the whirring of the fan around me, surrounded in my own peace, silence and joy. Writing are thoughts that jump on my mind to the paper, pen bleeding ink, slowly seeping on the page as I delicately avoid smudging it. To me, I can spend hours lost in my own thoughts, trying to process everything I read that day. It could be anything from learning, neuroscience, to things like productivity or watching random vlogs of Harvard students living their best life on campus. As much as I would like to say that I keep up a consistent writing habit, it is admittedly, hard to find time in a day to write. I wish to, maybe my mind doesn't. So, I sit in front of my laptop, with wishes, dreams and hopes to find the words that people can care about. Today, I'm still finding words for the right things.

I've loved writing for as long as I can remember, winning awards, praise and commendations for my writing. Those were incentives, not my true purpose. I started writing to be sane, get things out of my head, to see the words get onto a piece of paper, my thoughts, my feelings. Sometimes, heart is better than head. It's something we all need sometimes. Myself included. I recommend writing as one of the best cures for moodiness, mood swings and overall, negative feelings. Vent, vent, vent. The best part is, you get your thoughts out in a non-aggressive way without actually hurting anybody (although sometimes your piece of paper is the victim). In many cases, people think of writers as lonely, unsociable and depressed people, I think otherwise. Writing has made me healthier, happier and a way for me to deal with my sometimes convoluted emotions on those rollercoaster days. It's almost therapy when you get to see your thoughts, previously unfeasible and intangible, turn into something you can savour, see, love, hate. All of that and so much more.

I remember how my reading influenced my writing. I would see a paragraph, a page and think to myself, how would I express that? The words swirl in my head, a key trying to fit the right lock to fit into. Stories have the power to inspire, criticise, tell, show and hurt. It is a power which extends beyond our human imagination and understanding. It is simply because of the sheer power and enigmatic purposes of words, which we, human beings, homo sapiens have been blessed with. I have always believed that writing, reading and communicating are just some of the most fundamental things that makes us, shapes us, tells the world our story because we all have a voice. Something that roars within us, like a turtle coming out of its shell. I have been more and more involved with the world's concerns, particularly my community, the youth. Everything from climate change, conservation and increasingly, mental health which is a large and serious issue that deserves our utmost attention. So many campaigns fail because we don't know how to make a statement in an increasingly connected world with emojis and GIFs. What about words, have we forgotten them? Do they not hold the same power as previously envisioned? I will always believe that writing to convince is one of the most important skills anyone can have whether you're a student writing a persuasive essay or a columnist who is seeking to inspire. We can't inspire, insult, rise the next generation with emojis or GIFs. The most powerful people in the world wrote and spoke well. Will we become the generation that forgets how to impact and make a statement, or will we find words again?

This story is not just about me, my passion for writing, although it is a significant part of my life which I cannot let go of. I hope that fifteen, maybe even twenty years from now, I can find time in my day to write and just write. In a busy world, we have forgot how to ask for less. We always want the complicated when the simple reaps more benefits. Wer have forgotten what it means to sit and do nothing, maybe just take the time to vent a little, write a little. Each word written is a part of a story told, and it has, and always will be, such an important aspect of our daily lives which we must not forget as we progress. We must also be careful about what we write and show the world, is it something meant to hurt, harm or inspire? Our tone and message or what we spread to the world makes all the difference in determining if we become successful communicators and global citizens that show the world how it's truly done. I've learnt that finding the right words stem from emotion. Whether it is anger, sadness, joy or hope, what we say, type and write is a reflection of our mental state. In a world where we have become numb to our own feelings, prioritising everything but that, learning to write and write well is one of the most valuable and important parts of one's day. It gives us a database of our mental state. Especially since Covid-19 has affected us, I think, that it's now time for us to start a writing revolution to be sane when those endless days stretch. It's also a great time to stay home and stay safe, fro you and your community. Now is the time to focus on us, and that means starting with turning our thoughts into words that can be comprehend, held. Seen. Heard.

Given what is happening around the world now, injustice, fear anger, angst and discomfort. Our lives always revolve around finding the negative. The news tells us, constantly about everything negative that is happening around the world. Think of headlines in the past days, all about politics, global warming, racial discrimination, crime and hatred or the lost of faith in country governments. When we take the time to write, we can see things in a new light (not the John Mayer song) and begin to comprehend the issue at hand. I will always believe that to embark on a journey of self-discovery and actualisation, we must find words. Remember, human first.