A Room of One's Own

Writing has always been one of my passions, a kind of release -- akin to a spiritual experience when lost in the heights of words and its rhythm; images crowding and crashing asking to be unleashed in a blank piece of paper -- a canvas.  Ever since my college days in Berkeley, I fancied myself as a writer; traveling distant lands and collecting untold stories and adventures, a female version of Mark Twain.  Reporting impressions with dry wit and humor, but in the context of much love for the humanity behind all frailties. 

Coming from a "no nonsense" first generation immigrant household, writing equates to not having a goal in life -- NOT key to a successful career, therefore, not even something one should consider seriously but only dream about.  In the words of Virginia Woolf, in her essay "A Room of One's Own":  "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write...".  Well, certainly that ruled me out!!!

But some dreams are meant to live on and fester like a sore...and so I always carried that seed of wanting -- wanting and needing to express, to let "it" out -- and so here you find me.  Several years ago, I took a writing class at our local Adult Education.  It was taught by a gifted young woman, she was a published poet and at that time editor of the city-owned and run paper.  She opened up with a writing exercise that would enable us, her students to give ourselves permission to be writers...in essence, breaking down all EXCUSES to why we are not writing or why we couldn't, shouldn't write.  To this day, I have that index card prominently displayed on my desk, a challenge if you will to myself to get on with it.  This is what I had written:

I WOULD RATHER BE A WRITER AND WRITE,
THAN FEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ACTION

Because of that class, I was able to submit a poem I wrote which was then accepted and published in a collection of poetry by Muslim women...since then, however I had allowed "my ink to get dry"...Several birthdays ago, I decided to change all that -- 

I prefer writing at home, or in quiet secluded space...I often hear other writers talk about their routine for creativity -- often, it involves sitting in a nearby cafe, abuzz with activitiy -- from people sitting and chatting with their companions, to baristas cheery announcements to waiting customers, to the sound of background music and the clatter of coffee cups agains the table...

Each to his or her own creative space...

*************

Morsel for thought or taste: 

TEDtalks:  Eat Pray Love writer – Elizabeth Gilber on “Nurturing Creativitiy”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvPwqkmmGJs&feature=youtube_gdata_player