Over the last few years, I’ve written about many different things and for various publications: spring cleaning ideas for a magazine, little girls’ dresses for an e-store, company bios for a financial website, my own memoirs for anthologies, grant applications for a charity, Facebook posts for a small business, articles on conscious living for an online magazine, and a whole lot more. And of course here on my blog, where I share personal stories and thoughts on living a creative, authentic and kind life. You name it, and I’ve probably got at least one sample of it. Basically, I’ve been finding my way as a writer and I am grateful I’ve had these opportunities to do that.
But over the last year and a half, I’ve felt a pull toward writing the things that really matter to me. I’ve found that these topics aren’t always easy to tackle, and are often more nerve-wracking to publish than anything else I’ve ever written. My ideas on how we can live together in harmony, my worries and hopes for the next generations, and my need to share the stories that bridge the gap between us aren’t easily squelched; giving them voice has been the most fulfilling part of my writing journey so far.
There isn’t a clear market for these thoughts. I have many writer friends, some who make really good coin doing product reviews for companies or writing about travel destinations. And they work their butts off doing it, all the while loving it. Sometimes I think to myself, I could do that too. And I know I technically can, but something inside me won’t let me. That’s not my work. I need to work my butt off doing what I love.
So I’m still finding my way, but I don’t feel like I’m doing it as blindly as I was before.
I know who I am as a writer now, and when I try to sway from that I am stopped every time by my inner voice. I guess you can say my creative Self is pretty stubborn, and I think over the years of reading and writing about creativity, I’ve developed a closer relationship with that Self of mine. I can no longer deny it what it wants.
If you are part of my Facebook community, you might have seen that I’ve started writing a column for my local newspaper, Peace Arch News. My column is called Building Bridges, and that’s what I intend to do through the thoughts and stories I share there. So far, I’m two articles in and working on the third.
I’d love it if you had a read! In the first one, I talk about my experiences growing up bi-culturally as a child of immigrant parents. I thought that would be a good introduction to myself, and where I come from (literally and figuratively).
In the second one, I talk about the fact that tolerance is beneath us. I really don’t think we should be tolerating each other. Do you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts which you can share right under the article on the newspaper’s website if you wish. Or feel free to message me privately. There are also social media icons on each article if you are interested in sharing.
If you have any stories about cultural connections you’d like me to consider for future articles (your name would never be mentioned), please drop me a line.
I hope that whatever path you’re on, you’re choosing authenticity as a measure for what you do, how you be, what you put out in the world. It’s not always easy, but I just think it must be worth it in the end. You’ve got a light in you that is stubborn, too. Pay attention!
Thanks for reading!
