Flint & Steel Prompt | Writing Challenge
When My Love of Words Began
On wings of a childhood dream
What would life be without words
My first relationship with words finds me laying on my stomach writing my name.
My mom says I filled up my exercise books quickly back then.
My grandfather, though not formally educated, loved to read.
In a corner of the sitting room was the “great bookcase.” I can still see it in my mind's eye.
Oh how I read.
Among so many other books, it housed books by the great William Shakespeare, one of his favorite authors.
Love continues
I distinctly remember reading Enid Blyton’s Amelia Jane Again book.
I read the complete series, but that is the first childhood book name that remained in my mind.
I devoured books. I tell you, I loved reading more than playing.
And my memories tell me I read more than I played.
At some point, I was known for always having my head in a book. The fact I liked reading was the reason I was not pressured to learn “woman’s work” such as cooking, cleaning, and such.
All the adults just let me read and read I did.
I should not have read that!
I read every book in the bookcase in our home, then when I had exhausted that supply I went on to borrow and do book exchanges.
We had no formal library in our village, so we just borrowed from each other. (I plan to start a small library for the kids, as there is still not one there).
I read Shakespeare and though I could not quite grasp all the nuances he conveyed.
I read Last Tango in Parris and it was traumatizing. It was not meant for a child.
I still remember bits of what I read that have forever stayed with me. I have never sought the book out again. I should not have read it and I don’t plan to re-read it.
Endless love
I have lost count of the books I have read throughout my life.
As I changed, my taste in literary works also changed. Now I gravitate toward a certain kind of book.
Though I remain open-minded for recommendations.
Movies are another thing I love.
Music, now there is a love that has stood the test of time.
I l-o-v-e music!
And of course if one loves music, one almost always loves to dance.
If there is a beat, I am unable to stay still.
Whether in public or private, if music is playing, then I am dancing or moving somehow.
Now that I am in that phase of my life, where I feel the burning desire to write.
The scariest part of writing, as said by Ellie Jacobson, is opening oneself to be critiqued.
Each time we open our hearts to write, it lays out our vulnerable parts to be picked at — talk about fear.
But we do it anyway because our souls must be given flight.
This is one of the reasons why this Medium platform is so lovely, because as writers ourselves, we understand the price of baring our souls in public and we support and uplift each other.
I want to share some of the hopes, joys, and even the pains I have known along my life’s journey.
I wake each day with the sole desire to “just write.”
And I know that you all do too.
Thank you Ellie Jacobson for this prompt.
Read Mulan’s story below.
Pene Hodge is a mom, a nurse, a writer. She writes because she must. She loves people and is committed to sharing and gleaning knowledge for the betterment of all.
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