Hey everyone! It's Momo here, and I'm back with an essay that I wrote this past year in English class. Yes, it may seem boring, but I thought that maybe it would encourage you to live your dream too! Sometimes I forget that I need to stop thinking that life starts when you begin your dream job, but actually, life starts way further than that. I hope you enjoy this and that it leaves you feeling happy inside!!
Keep dreaming and lots of love,
Momo
A Writer’s Highest Prospective
What defines a writer? It really depends on that person, but it has been the general consensus that an author (or generally one who enjoys writing) is someone who spends their weekends pouring over six-hundred page books, who has a few select friends, and generally holds themselves in a shy demeanor. This prejudiced description can be true in most cases, but in my opinion, you have no idea what goes through an author’s mind. Writing opens one’s mind to a completely different way of thinking, it teaches you an appreciation for literature, for authors who wrote those books, and it will enlighten you to inspire, dream, and think big.
William Faulkner once beautifully captured the art of writing by stating, “It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along beside him with a paper and a pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.” I remember my first story began during the lecture of my history class, and all of a sudden, this vivid description of a girl who loved nature and discovering amazing and inspiring thoughts and ideas swept across my mind. From there, I was able to decipher the plot and pretty soon, I was stretching my fingers and dusting off my keyboard to start creating my piece. Writing, whether for school essays and poems, or simply for enjoyment, allows you to capture all of the ideas and concepts without the pressure while holding a conversation or in front of an audience. Although this sounds like attempting to escape reality by diving into solitude late at night and typing under your covers, (which is partly true) it also helps you to structure the way you write and speak normally and also it creates a unique appreciation for literature and its originality. Colin Firth put this idea beautifully by saying, “When I’m really into a novel. I’m seeing the world differently at that time. Not just for the hour or so in the day when I get to read. I’m actually walking around in a bit of haze, spellbound by the book and looking at everything through a different prism.”
Remember those high school days when your teacher would say, “Ok, class, your next paper is soon, so start drafting!” Writing often brings sighs and complaints around the classroom when an instructor tells them to work up a paper. I think we all have to agree that we were all in that position at many points in our lives, right? As a student who hopes to continue writing even when life gets busy and complicated, I understand that that will be a hard goal to dedicate to. For most people, I believe in my opinion that those who think that reading is such a boring and redundant task should not judge books simply by the ones we read at school. There are hundreds of beautiful, gorgeously written books out in this world that people have just not recognized their presence. Statistics say, “The Educational Testing Services reported that students who do more reading at home are better readers and have higher math scores; however, students read less for fun as they get older.” (NEA, 2015) Yes, reading may not be for everyone, just like how basketball is not for everyone, but it makes all the difference in the world when you find that one book that you treasure and hold dear to your heart. That is why I believe teachers should introduce well-written books at early ages and not be afraid to give them challenging reads so that they won’t think that this is all the world has to offer for literature. Additionally, if fourth graders think that they can only read one-hundred page books and they find that they can read three-hundred pages, how much more beneficial it is to them! Reading and writing enhances your vocabulary tremendously and it will come in handy when your teacher assigns you papers because what you read is going to reflect in your writing style and format. Look at our founding fathers who passed the college entrance exam tests as early as seven years old! Be bold when it comes to literature and be proud that we have the privilege to hold such precious materials.
If you have met one who loves to write, you will probably recognize them by their flexible fingers and dark circles or bags under their eyes. As someone who is an active writer, I understand some of the stress and pain author’s nowadays face. Piecing together a work is definitely a challenge. I do not think it matters if you are a best-seller author, you will always have areas to improve in. This goes the same for our walk in the Lord. It will not matter if you are the pastor of a church or a youth group teacher, the Bible is not something that you can fully understand, yet, it is something that you shouldn’t give up on. Many forms of art requires this dedication. For instance, did you know that J.R.R. Tolkien’s inspiration for Mordor was his childhood town where he grew up? Tolkien’s life reflected heartbreaking events and grueling times in war as well. His best friends were killed in front of his very eyes and that was what gave him the idea for Haldir’s death in Helm’s Deep. Also, consider the authors of the Bible. What did Peter go through? How did that reflect in his writing? Look at Jesus. He went through the most terrifying death there was ever in history then and to come. The man who was beaten, bruised, and humiliated to save our lives wrote the Bible for us. Does that change the way you see the Bible now? Is it more than just a habitual book or a book we should be obliged to read? How would you feel if your loved one went through what Jesus experienced or how Peter suffered? Wouldn’t you without a shadow of doubt read each chapter and book in reverence? It is easy to see the hardship written between the shadows of their writings.
Have you ever heard of this saying, “Don’t call it a dream. Call it a plan.” How does this relate to reading and writing? I have found that many of us waste our lives waiting for college, for something fantastic that could happen, so that our lives can begin. We waste so much time sitting through class like little stone statues thinking that our classes are only “previews” of our college life. I like to put it like this, “Stop waiting for Friday, for summer, for someone to fall in love with you, for life. Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for it and make the most of the moment you are in now.”(-Unknown). Enjoy the little things in life and you will realize that there are little “gems” or seemingly insignificant ideas or thoughts in each day that you have probably passed by each day without a thought. What is it that inspires you the most? For me, reading has definitely inspired me magnificently throughout my life, but other forms of art have also played that same role. Writing is like that to me. It is a hobby that requires much time, practice, and dedication, but when you see what comes running out of your imagination, and the progress you made, it is worth the sweat, blood, and tears making it. When you find something that really inspires you, something that you love to do everyday, induces you to work hard and you love it despite the hardships it may bring, then you have found your serenity. You have most likely heard of “Comic cons,” or “Kawaii kons.” Yes, I go there partly because I get to be where hundreds of other shy, introverted people like me are and I get to be a complete nerd in front of them and feel proud of it, but also because of the general idea. So many people there are artists and if you have ever met an artist, you know they also go through whole tv series while working on their art because of their passion. It is very difficult to find a job if you are an artist or an author, and it often leads people to either be extremely rich or surprisingly, the opposite. That’s why we visit conventions, so that we can meet people who have the same anxiety problems like us and we won’t feel so lonely anymore.
In conclusion, I definitely believe that is very important to read to become a well-rounded author not only because writing shows us how to view life from a different perspective, it also gives us a unique passion for literature, to be appreciative of the author and the journey it took to write the novel, and it proves to us that life is short and we should make the most of the time God gives us. Through writing, I’ve realized the potential my writing can have if I work really hard on it and I also realized that it is one of my biggest inspirations. With all of life’s crazy turns, I can see that we can do so many things that we thought we never could have done, but by the grace of God, we were able to do through Him. I never thought I would be in a third world country for a mission’s trip if you had told me in eight grade. So, I hope that everyone at high school will really soak in the goodness of our “youthfulness” and simply enjoy life. Let’s not let the shallow, petty things take up all of our time because by the time we pack our bags and head off into the real world, we will realize how much time we have wasted waiting for life to start. Life does not start when you get a job or when you start college, it starts in the womb and it just keeps on getting better from there. Reading is one of those steps I believe we should take to fulfill this commitment. Reading allows you to peak into other people’s lives and opinions and it helps you to believe that we are never to young to dream, to live our lives in its fullest, and to be a witness to others. Don’t let others dictate who you are in Him. God’s Word says in 1 Timothy 1:4, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” I also believe that this verse is extensive to everyone, young or old. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re not qualified, or you don’t have the talent, God places us where we are for a reason and no other power can change that. I pray that this school will continue to complete its work in God and that we will learn to love literature, love God, and most importantly, to live life in its fullest, living our dreams, all for Christ.