My Predilection for Writing

When I was in school, we were always told, “Every person created by God is special. He has sent each one of us on this Earth for a specific purpose. So treat everyone with due respect.” According to me, what makes every person special and different from others, are the qualities and abilities extant within him or her. You can acquire a multitude of skills throughout your lifetime, but it is that one particular field or area where your expertise lies. Otherwise a person is simply a “Jack of all trades, but master of none.” More than the academic qualifications, it is sometimes these distinctive traits, which help you to prosper and succeed in life. Job satisfaction is high if you find the job where your true interest lies. Steve Jobs has rightly said, “You’ve got to find what you love”. Venerable personalities like Albert Einstein or Steve Jobs were not academically brilliant, but their remarkable contributions to the world are eternal in the history of mankind.

Most of the times, especially while preparing their CVs, I see people lingering while filling their ‘core competencies’ section. The academic qualifications and the marks obtained are at the tip of their tongues, but are totally oblivious about their other distinguishable und ‘untouched’ qualities. Such people usually end up writing some monotonous answers. I consider myself fortunate to have developed a penchant for writing.

To me, the interest for writing developed during my Graduation years. I was determined to do something more than just studying during these three years. My two inanimate best friends, who helped me greatly in writing, were the English dictionary and my valuable novels. I developed an affinity for the English language thanks to them. I decided to use my lexical knowledge to express my opinions better. And the right opportunity landed soon. It came in the form of my college newsletter, which used to be published by different classes every month. I thought of giving the theme a try. I believe that participation is more important than winning. Thus, I started to pen down my thoughts. It came as a sweet surprise when my article got published in that month’s issue. Something which started as a casual attempt was appreciated by many. During these three years, I tried to seize the opportunities of writing as and when they arose. My articles were appreciated by my teachers and friends every time they got published.  Besides writing articles, I also helped my friends and loved ones in improving their writing and oratory skills. Such rectifications helped me to improve my skills too. Gradually I noticed improvements in my writing and thought process. I think my Graduation years were a golden period of my life in which I realized my métier for Writing as a means to exhibit my thoughts, ideas and creativity.

There are some special people in my life, without whom my writing would not have got a boost. First would be my sister Shruti, who plays multiple roles of my best friend, philosopher, guide, advisor, critic and editor. The idea to create my own blog was her brainchild. Though she herself is brainy and academically proficient, she always gives an impulse to my creativity and talent. She encourages me to write on the issues which touch me deeply. My Mother, who is my best friend and the optimistic person I will ever know, always supports me in all my endeavours. Next are my precious jewel like cousins, Sumit, Saurabh and Aditi, who have immense faith in me and appreciate my work and talents. These five people are the protons of my life, ever charging me with positive vibes and motivating me to do better. I am also grateful to Mrs. Shalmali Jadhav for suggesting such an apt title for my blog.

Recently I read Ruskin Bond’s interview in the Times of India on being conferred the Padma Bhushan. It was great to know more about this prolific yet down to earth and believing-in-simplicity writer. Some of his statements were truly inspiring. He says, “My writing has grown older with me. It might be more cynical and tongue-in-cheek now. When I was younger it used to be more emotional and naive. The books that I wrote in my late teens and 20s, the little love stories, they were right from the heart. It's like how you have affection for your first born.”

I want my writing to grow old with me too, so that years later when I ponder at my life, I will realize how my thoughts and ideas matured with me over a period of time. In the near future, I would like to contribute to the society by teaching the less fortunate, the lingua franca, English, helping them to seek jobs and earn a better living. Developing a wide scale English literacy, I believe, will be a big step towards India’s development.