All it takes is a little bit of encouragement

I have always loved writing and have even dabbled in poetry although that venture was nipped in the bud.

I must have been around six or seven years old and a teacher asked us to try our hand at rhyme. I sat down immediately and came up with a few verses that would have made any environmentalist proud.

My topic was the bounty of nature and centred around the many uses (aesthetic and practical) of trees. It was obvious that the language was that of a child. When I went to class the next day, I proudly read out my poem. The reaction I received came as a blow. The teacher said I must have copied it from somewhere. In retrospect, I can see this was akin to a backhanded compliment. But as a child I was grievously hurt. I vehemently denied the accusation of plagiarism but that experience certainly cured me of that form of expression. At least for some years.

In today’s context, no teacher worth her salt would have handled this kind of situation so unimaginatively. She would have been scared of repercussions and trauma caused to the young mind and, of course, parents’ reaction. What I remember is going home in tears and my parents and siblings being as indignant as I was. But no action was taken apart from the offering of sympathetic words such as “We know it is your work”. There was no way I would have done something like taking the easy way out simply because it would have never occurred to me.

Wonders

Many years later, I decided to give it another try and was gratified when I saw my work published. This was a solo decision but what I do know now is that just as criticism kills creativity, words of encouragement can work wonders.

A case in point is a good friend who is known in our circle for her pragmatism and level-headedness. No flights of fancy for her, we all thought. We were mistaken. On a recent trip to the US and Canada, she decided to write a journal of sorts of her experiences as we asked her to tell us all about it. What we did not want were one-line descriptions. So began her journey of self-discovery.

Her chronicles were emailed to us with unfailing regularity and read with great enjoyment. We caught a glimpse of her unique perspective on places and people. The artist in her was revealed in her pithy comments on breathtaking scenery or what she viewed as an over-hyped landmark.

She was taken aback by our appreciation, never imagining that her take on things would be so enjoyable to read. After those first few words of encouragement there was no stopping her. It was as if a dam had burst. And, as the waters engulfed us, we were keen to visit all those places she had captured so vividly in words.There were suggestions of getting her travelogue published and she was gob-smacked by the idea.

As support for this idea intensified, she began to recall people she knew who had had their work published even though the subject matter wasn’t the most riveting in the world. But they had gone ahead anyway. Emboldened by this idea, she is now receptive to the idea. I sincerely hope she does take the next step and gives others a chance to read material that is not stereotypical and offers original insights.

And maybe, just maybe, if she is successful in her quest, I might consider following her example and taking the plunge. After all, even rejection slips can come in use. They might make for some unusual wallpaper!