There Is Nothing I Hate About Medium
I just want to say thank you
The things that keep nagging at you are the ones worth exploring. -Evan Williams
I am totally in awe of Medium and immensely grateful for being here, reading and writing along with so many beautiful souls. Sometimes it feels like a dream that is too good to be true. I am so overwhelmed with gratitude that I don’t know what to say.
Just one year ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself writing on Medium or anywhere else, let alone receiving responses and claps from total strangers for random ideas I expressed.
It was on a blistering hot day in July 2019 that I purchased a beat-up copy of George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London from a bookshop in Madrid. This book blew me away. After reading it, I could never look at homeless people without remembering Orwell’s own experience with homelessness and his compassionate viewpoints. That book showed me the true power of writing and it served as a catalyst for my own writing journey.
But while inspired to write, it still took me a while to find the courage to publish my first article on Medium. My fear of pushing the “publish” button hasn’t yet lessened even after receiving warm responses from readers. I don’t know what I am deathly afraid of, but it is bloody annoying. I accept this as part and parcel of the writer’s journey.
My determination to keep writing grows stronger with each month I am here. As much as it is terrifying to write publicly, it is also exhilarating. Somewhere along my journey, I began to see Medium as a global village with an amazing ecosystem of readers, mentors, editors, publications, and writers. I am learning that, just as in life, what we contribute to this village matters more than what we take from it.
Stumbling onto writers with incredibly diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is one of the best things about Medium. I’ve been moved to tears by stories and poems, though have often felt too shy to respond to them. And I am certain that my capacity for empathy has increased from reading stories by courageous Medium writers. Other stories have made me laugh, reflect, and learn.
The vision of Evan Williams, the founder of Medium, strikes a chord with me. He once said:
My strong belief — in being in blogging before Twitter — is that in trying to create more information out there, in trying to create the democratization of media in general, … the more voices there are out there then the likelihood is that the truth bubbles up to the top.
Medium can be very frustrating at times, mostly because it moves too fast for me. I struggle to keep up with my readings. Trying to drink from a firehose is an apt expression. I’ve accumulated hundreds of articles and poems in my saved tab that patiently wait for me. For now I do my best with the time I have.
I also struggle with finding time to write, though I don’t worry too much about it since I have a day job that pays my bills. For the time being, I write only when I feel compelled to say something.
Today, I feel compelled to express my gratitude in writing.
Thank you to all the writers who have inspired me and all the readers who have taken time to read and respond to my work. Thank you, Dr Mehmet Yildiz and ILLUMINATION for providing a nurturing home for my writings. I wish you all the best. Please stay safe and keep on keeping on.