The love of writing
By Mpumelelo Mtjekelo (Mangaung)
Dear Diary
Writing is my second best friend. It is neither a he nor she, it’s not human yet it feels like it is a living thing (organism) that listens whenever I need to talk. Without any fear I share all my stories knowing it will only be known by me and my living organism. This organism is different compared to humans because it doesn’t judge me!
In writing unlike talking there is freedom, it gives me the chance to let it all out. Sometimes I share a story with a human but after telling the story to humans there are times when I’d regret saying what I said and other times I fear that he/she might expose my story. With my organism after sharing my story I am able to heal and trust it, and also the funny part in writing is that sometimes within writing I can find a solution to a problem that I had. If not, it gives me the ability to cry and let it all out.
Dear Diary, there was of course a time I thought “why not share this with the world?” It is not that I trust the world with my information but it also feels great having to hear people reading my stories saying hey, this has twisted my life in a good manner or this (article) is actually talking about me. Writing is a different world; it is relaxing and fun; other times it is an adventure. It is to just let your imagination run wild without anyone stopping you.
It can be done anywhere at any time because sometimes I am inspired by something around me to start writing. On the other side, it is often stated that humans (i.e we black people) don’t like reading and if you are to hide a lot of money or a treasure you should consider a book! It is very rare that one will be able to realize that there is something worthy in the book.
And so I write to you…
Dear Diary
* From her Dear Diary Column
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1 comment:
Native South Africans do not like reading, as you correctly point out, but there are scientific reasons behind it, more than the two I wish to highlight.
Firstly, what little of their educational background they have, is not in their mother tongues.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, they are not interested in the new things to be found in reading BECAUSE THE OLDER THINGS (THEIR HISTORY) WERE STOLEN AND SUBVERTED BY THE BRITISH COLONISTS SOME TWO CENTURIES AGO. Few South Africans, for example, know that the Zion refererred to in the holy scripts is the same geography today known as South Africa and her neighbouring countries.
But now I’d like to quote you: “...Sometimes ..in writing I ....find a solution to a problem that I had. If not, [writing] gives me the ability to cry and let it all out.”
I enjoy writing too, but nothing, not even writing, gives me better ideas than talking to a real (human) friend or even foe rather than talking with my pen to the inanimate parchment or with my keystrokes to the artificial intelligence called a computer. In that vein, I’ve even heard of people who get their writing juices flowing better when in the company of others, say at a bar or some overpopulated place with your laptop or pen and paper... pretty more or less like that teenager of yours who does homework better with earphones polluted with Maria Carey’s “Obsessed” or Jabu Khanyile’s “Umkhaya lo”!
Indeed, Mpumelelo Mtjekelo, nothing would substitute for the human touch even for writers. Still I guess I know your intention was never to replace it, yours was to wax poetic over our mutual friend, Writing!
Keep it up! For Writing is not just our friend, but Writing is also our vehicle to eternal life!
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