When I was a little girl, I used to dream of being a writer. I don’t know exactly why I felt this way but all I knew is that I wanted to write. I started writing when I was in the third grade. I used to carry a little purse or a back pack with a notebook in case I had an idea or just wanted to scribble. During reading time or library time I would hide myself because I didn’t want to read, I wanted to write. See I wasn’t a very strong reader in elementary school, so I was embarrassed and would feel even worse if someone noticed or found out. As I started to grow up, I use to carry my notebooks in my back pack to school. We had lockers in which I thought wow I’m a little kid with a locker. I’m so cool. Why you are probably wondering, because at that time high school kids were the only ones who had lockers.
In eight grade one day, I don’t recall the day but one day my locker got broken into and I almost died. All my notebooks were in my locker and they were all stolen. I had about 15 notebooks. I never wanted to leave them at home fearing my dad or my mom would find them and read them. I was devastated. I use to write little poems along with my scribbles. I reported the robbery to the school police nothing was ever recovered, nothing. About two months later our school paper came out, with a poem I had written when I realized this robbery done by a so called friend of mine. I only knew two girls whom were a part of the school newspaper. I confronted both of them and as they lied to my face. My soul was crushed on the inside. Kids were going to read the last five years of my life, in detail.
After all that nonsense, I just learned to embrace whatever came at me, in spite of my life journals being stolen. Hey not one person lives a perfect life. I let it go and as the years went on, I kept writing and in college I was asked to submit a paper, any kind of written paper for our school online platform I was discouraged and didn’t feel I was good enough. My friend told me, who cares Moranda just submit anything. So I went home searched through my papers, found what I thought was okay. I was so nervous but hey I did it for my friend to help her out, she needed fellow peers to submit papers. I submitted the piece and I was scared and nervous because I didn’t feel that is was strong and good enough to make it. Well my paper made it, and I was in shock. I always say to myself if it wasn’t for my friend and how she pushed me to do it, I wouldn’t had believed in myself.
I believe that this was the moment I felt I could do it. I can be a writer but never thought it would happen. Me a writer!?
Then here came Odyssey. I was so excited the opportunity came at a very good time. I love that Odyssey allows me to be open and write what’s on my mind, makes the opportunity so much more amazing and fun. There is so much freedom to write about anything.
I really love how Odyssey and it’s technology has created this amazing online platform for writers around the country to get their voices heard and perhaps maybe noticed in the right places. Thank you so much Odyssey for being awesome and amazing.
