Words have always attracted me in a special way. Thoughts are and have always been my constant companion. During my school days, I constantly took part in debates. I even used to write its content on my own because Google was yet to catch up. To find the perfect thought for the day, I would look up hundreds of quotes or go through the Bible. I also enjoyed reading classic literature, especially curriculum books like William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Rabindranath Tagore’s Four Stories from Tagore and George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man. I was also always up for a good poem. Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman, Rudyard Kipling’s If and Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken had a profound impact on my impressionable mind. These experiences were what nurtured the reader and writer in me.
I always looked at reading as a means of exploring myself. This slowly translated into an interest in writing so I could express myself better. However, the turning point in my outlook on writing was when I realized that I wasn’t the only aspiring writer in my family. Well, I already knew that my siblings had a thing for it, but the revelation that so did my father and uncle changed my perspective completely. This newfound confidence was enough for me to write my heart out.
I started writing poems, prose and shayari in both Hindi and English. Writing became an instrument for me to let people know how I felt; it became a medium to give vent to my inner turmoil and deepest sorrows. Every piece I wrote had a part of me. The more I wrote, the more it became a part of me. Today, no matter how busy or tired I am, I always take out a few minutes every day to pen something down. It is kind of ironic that most of my poems, which came into being because of my grief, have given me immense joy – a joy from having created something so intense.
The last three years have seen me contribute to several anthologies and take part in various poetry competitions. I even hosted a poetry competition on my Instagram profile! Over the years, I have started harboring a new dream – one day, I hope to be able to publish everything I have written so far. I, for one, think that that day isn’t very far away. What bigger incentive could there be for a writer if their work can both get critical acclaim and inspire readers?
As a piece of advice to all budding writers out there, I would like to sum up my story in my characteristic poetic style:
Dear writers,
Fill your heart with ‘feelings’,
And flourish your mind with ‘thoughts’,
Because this world needs your ‘words’.
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