When Writing Found Me
I was one of those kids who always day-dreamed. When I was younger, I’d walk around the space in my little house, imagining stuff, and…
Come closer, let me tell you a story
I was one of those kids who always day-dreamed. When I was younger, I’d walk around the space in my little house, imagining stuff, and living in those imaginations. It was fun and proved to be an alternate reality for me. Anyone who saw me gave a look that said, 'You’re crazy!'
I tell you, indeed I was. With my right tiny arm as my sword, and my other as my gun, I would venture into my fantasies, bold and ready to save my made-up world. The chairs were my enemies as I’d hit them with my sword and climb on their heads. This act was food enough for me (Perhaps the reason I grew so thin).
The word 'bored' was a strange one for me. How could I be bored when I could create stories of any genre in my little mind?
Days ran into months, and months trickled into years. As I grew much older, I couldn’t keep running around the house, dragging curtains and jumping from one chair to the other. Mama would demand my school fees back from the school if she caught me. I was confused and slowly parting with my childhood obsession. What could I do? Where do I escape to when Math makes my real-world unbearable? I found the answer on my first day of a new session in school.
I walked to school that day. My backpack strapped to my back and shoulders held down. I obviously wasn’t ready to deal with the stress of a new session.
Well, that day in class, a new English teacher was introduced to us by the Principal.
"Class, greet your new English teacher, Miss. Anoru"
We all stood up to extend our greetings to her. There was strength and maturity about her; a deep sense of calmness that I found intriguing. The principal urged us to be good and left to his own duties. Miss Anoru stood beautifully in front of the class and looked carefully at each of us.
"Hello pupils," she started, her voice low and gently modulated. "I want you all to get a blank sheet of paper and write on it a short article about yourself. That way, I’ll get to know all about each of you!"
"Whattt?!" The class echoed. We didn’t know the slightest bit about writing. We murmured within ourselves.
"You have ten minutes to write, it’s best you start now," she continued in an educated voice.
Everyone started writing. Guess they all wanted to impress the new teacher. I scratched my head and looked sternly at my blank sheet, like I wanted it to write itself.
"Five more minutes!" she said.
"Arrghh..." I took my pen and scribbled a sentence.
"My name is Delight Asaph..."
"Three more minutes!"
My hand was still moving. I’d written four sentences now! I was doing well.
"Time up, submit!"
We all passed our papers to her as she read each one of them, silently. She kept reading until she got to the last one. She read it, re-read it, and read it all over again. I knew I had been the last student to submit. I’d written only five sentences and I knew I’d blown it. I shut my eyes tight. Who cared about some stupid paper anyways?
She cleared her throat, signaling she had finished reading through all the sheets. She kept all the papers on the table, save for one. That very last paper — my paper. She picked it up and asked:
"Who is Delight?"
I looked around, all eyes and hands were pointed at my pitiful self. I felt like disappearing, but a smile was on Miss. Anoru’s lips.
"Class put your hands together for Delight!" She said.
The whole class began clapping. My brain couldn’t process it all. What was really happening here?
She raised a hand and the applause ended.
"My name is Delight Asaph—" She read. "I’m twelve years old and I was born in Lagos, Nigeria. I love the English language, because I can’t bear Mathematics. I have a special love for Jollof rice and fried chicken. I spend my leisure time reading, playing football and daydreaming."
It sounded good hearing her read it aloud in her soft, cultivated voice. I felt a little bit better as the smile remained on her lips.
"This is a lovely write-up, Delight. It’s only five sentences long, but detailed and beautiful!" She said looking straight into my shaky eyes. "I’m so proud of you!" She concluded as the whole class cheered me once more.
My heart was racing. I was singled out of thirty students in the class, because of a five sentenced composition!
Writing found me!
After, that day, I continued daydreaming. But this time, I didn’t walk around the house, or fight with the chairs and tables, like I used to. I sat down and wrote my imaginations on a blank paper! Yes, I did! After writing, I’d give it to my friends and siblings to read. They all said something similar to what Miss. Anoru said that day in class!
Writing found me that day, and wouldn’t part with me. It became an obsession stronger than daydreaming. I write anything and everything now. It’s been a great journey so far, Writing and I. I read up articles on writing from other writers and it helped me improve my creative writing skills.
I came across an article about writing online and earning money from writing. I got interested. I finally felt there was something I could do happily, and earn money from!
I joined the Medium Partnership Program a month ago, and started writing on Medium. It’s been a jolly ride so far; reading great articles and meeting other great writers too! I hope to become one of the top writers soon, and I’m working hard to achieve it.
I once wrote because my teacher asked me to. Now, I write because I ‘can’t’ not write!